Loges studies the open door to see if removing Mr. Doorstop would be wise...
Loges gestures inside to Tollo...
"What? You want something you gotta speak up, kid. We shouldn't go into the pyramid until we know what's going on out here."
Tollo starts looking for something heavy to use as a replacement for the corpse in wedging the door open.
Tollo starts looking for something heavy to use as a replacement for the corpse in wedging the door open.
There are plenty of heavy stones around that would do the job.
Loges shrugs his shoulders.
ok, but this needs exploring!
Hoisting a large rock, the ugly halfling trots it over.
"Okay, one of you hold the door open, one of you pull out Mr. Doorstop and I'll wedge this in to keep the door open."
Zuberi will move to brace the door to buy Tollo the time to get the rock in place but hesitates for just a moment before actually touching the door. He tries to find a good place to grip it. He digs his feet in and nods when he is ready.
As the others play with Mr. Doorstop, Drimm will keep a watch on the pond and surrounding area.
Horek shrugs at Tollo's angry retort and goes to help Zuberi when the little halfling starts picking up a big rock to use to keep the door propped open. When Tollo calls out for someone to pull out the corpse, the half-orc grabs the body and speaks to the big human holding the door. "Push it open a bit more, I'll side this one out when I've got some room."
Loges keeps watch while the others work.
With everyone working together, Mr. Doorstop is pulled clear and Tollo's rock is placed in the gap in his place. Zuberi can tell that the door not only is heavy but also weighted to close on its own, but his strength is sufficient to hold it in place while the swap is made. Once it is finished, the stone seems to work just fine as a doorstop. For a moment while he is working, Zuberi gets a glimpse of the inside of the pyramid, which is still illuminated by Loges' spell, and which seems to be large room covered in paintings and writing.
Timbur also helps put the rock in place.
”It’s very lucky for us that this guy died right here, and kept the door open. I wonder if whoever shot him was in there or out here?”
Tollo sets to work dragging the corpse closer to the oasis before tying him to the pole by the waist and ankles- he wants him to be good and floppy around the upper body and to leave a good five feet or so on the pole in order to grip.
"Alright, I'm gonna slump his head and chest over into the water and we'll see what happens."
Timbur also helps put the rock in place.
”It’s very lucky for us that this guy died right here, and kept the door open. I wonder if whoever shot him was in there or out here?”
"I'd guess he tripped a trap for us on his way in and that's what got him. Helpful guy."
"There's paintings and writing on the inside I'm sure you'll be interested Loges but we'd be let someone with the eyes for it check the area first... unless you want to join Mister Doorstop."
"Let's get rid of this body, first. As Tollo has suggested." Horek helps drag the body to just outside the outer ring of bones that surround the pool, then he lets the halfling take the lead in working the corpse into the water as he readies his greatsword. The half-orc looks over the body himself as he moves it. "Let's not leave the body in the water, though. If the pool isn't tainted with poison now, it will be if we leave a corpse in there. Even if we don't need it, the local animals do." Horek warns the halfling as they perform their little experiment.
The group places the body near the pond, stepping back to see if anything comes out of the oasis' pond for it. Minutes pass with nary a ripple on the water, but eventually the surface begins to roil as if something is disturbing it from below. Seconds later a reddish pseudopod shoots from below the waterline and slams into the corpse, and immediately drags it below the surface. The water churns for a few moments before stillness returns to the pond.
Saiid jumps up from behind the rock where he had been hiding, pointing at the oasis. "What the hell was that?"
"Ugh. Some kinda ooze, but I ain't sure which without getting a better look."
Timbur just stares at where the corpse used to be.
Then he clears his throat and says, ”So shall we explore the pyramid now?”
"We may have to deal with it at some point but for now after a recent meal I doubt it will go seeking prey to hunt. If we steer clear of the water's edge we should be alright."
"Well that was something! I will fill the barrels for you two so you will not need to approach the water while we are gone. Keep that stupid camel away from it too. Food is still going to be a problem, however."
The dwarf goes off and fills the barrels full of water, then makes sure everyone's canteens and waterskins are also filled (including any extra we brought with us).
"Maybe we catch something and stake it out here near the water to lure it onto land...", Tollo muses. When everyone else seems set on going to the pyramid, he relents.
"Alright, we'll look in the pyramid. I gotta think up a plan for dealing with this ooze problem anyways..."
Loges watches the pool of water entertainment. He raises an eyebrow when the ooze pod snatches Mr. Doorstop.
Taking his hat off his head, the wizard says,
Fare thee well, Mr. Doorstop. You have been a twice-boon to our grateful group.
The youth replaces his hat. He rubs his hands together.
Now may we explore!
Horek watches the scene with revulsion that flutters up against panic. How does one fight that with a blade? Swallowing the bile that had risen to the top of his throat, he turns away and takes a few deep breaths. Let the halfling deal with that... creature if he wants, the half-orc intends to give the pool a very wide berth from now on.
As the group heads toward the pyramid, Horek speaks in a voice that he is inwardly glad doesn't crack or quaver in the least. "That creature you called 'Mr. Doorstop' was shot in the head with a crossbow bolt. What do you think might have done that? Maybe a trap of some kind?"
After gathering its belongings, and settling the camel, Saiid, and Abdul at the campsite, the group heads to investigate the stepped pyramid with the enormous statues.
Just inside the secret door the hobgoblin-like creature discovered for you, Tollo notices a pressure plate on the floor. Inside is a 10'-wide passage that continues east for 20' before turning north. At the first turn of the corridor, he also notices a niche that contains an unloaded crossbow.
The walls of the corridor are covered in frescoes depicting everyday life in a small community including the growing and harvesting of crops, animal husbandry, and various crafts. The step pyramid with the three figures is featured prominently, and shows many people worshiping it or the three figures on top. Writing in an unknown language accompanies all of the scenes.
Zuberi brings his torch closer, raising it a bit to cast more light on the frescoes. In his other hand is gripped the hilt of his greatsword, to wield it properly he will have to drop the torch to the ground but for now there are no apparent enemies to strike at.
Loges carrying an unlit candle with Light cast on it, studies the cool language.
Loges carrying an unlit candle with Light cast on it, studies the cool language.
Tollo points to the crossbow and the pressure plate.
"Yup, there ya have it- it was a trap."
As Drimm enters the darkened chamber, he sends a prayer to his god and suddenly a pure white light is shining from the head of his hammer.
"There, that should help some of you which canna see in the dark."
Timbur points out some sets of footprints in the dust, leading inwards.
”Somebody is in there. Maybe some of Mr. Doorstop’s friends?”
Horek nods as Tollo points out the trap. The wizard seems interested in the writing and the half-orc leaves him to it.
vs DC 15 = Success!
He too takes note of the tracks and tries to make some determination as to what they might reveal. Numbers? What type of creature left them? How long ago? Do any of them come back out (except, presumably, the ones from Mr. Doorstop?)
[dice=no wammies no wammies!]1d20+8
Having taken your time with the murals in the entrance corridor, you move on past the corner in the hallway and find that it continues north for another 20 feet before ending in a door.
You examine the stone door, but find no traps and can hear nothing through it.
Loges cast detect magic; concentrating on it as the travel.
Loges cast detect magic; concentrating on it as the travel.
Zuberi will nod to Tollo and ready himself for whatever waits at the other side of the door. Once they get through to the wherever it leads he will keep his eyes peeled for traps.
Tollo makes sure that his crossbow is loaded and opens the door at Zuberi's nod. Now that the group is "on the job" the halfling's mouth is shut and his attitude far more professional.
The murals don't sound particularly interesting to the half-orc. "Are they gods or something?" He asks Loges idly. When they move on, Horek has his greataxe readied, guarding the back of the formation in case something gets behind them.
Loges says excitedly to Horek and the others,
The community seems to be called Cyndidicea. The three figures on the step pyramid are referred to as Gorm (the man with the lightning bolt), Usamigaras (the child with the snakes twined around it), and Madarua (the woman with the wheat and sword).
The young wizard smiles.
This is exciting!