Listening at the northernmost door, Tunder hears the sound of a man speaking in a harsh, guttural language that he does not understand. As he listens carefully, he hears the same sounds (he can't make out hte words exactly) over and over as if someone where making a continuous incantation or repeating a phrase over and over. Only the one voice is heard.
Nothing is heard from the middle doors.
The southern doors are different from the others. They are made of stone like the rest, but bear no handles. In each is the indented outline of a seven-pointed star, the shape covered by hollows and slits, like a keyhole. The sounds of crackling, flickering fire can be heard from beyond, but no smoke escapes under the door, nor does the scent of burning seem to be present in the hallway.
Seldon, his magic circle still in place, casts more buffs on Barek, increasing his bravery and his strength.
Selena casts a quick detect magic on the 3 doors to see if any of them appear as magical as well. Well, we have a spellcaster to the north, hell to the south, and oblivion to the east. Your guess is as good as mine. I will follow where you lead Barek as Seldon has you prepared for a coming conflict.
Barek gives the smaller girl a wink as he feels Seldon's spell strength his muscles. "Just point me at 'em, sweetie. I'll pound 'em into the dirt."
Selena curtsies slightly at Barek's wink Always the gentleman letting the woman lead. If that is the case then let us proceed north to stop this spellcaster's chanting. I would prefer you to go first though as I am much less capable than you are of holding my own against foes. If we are quick we might be able to use your impressive strength in the other rooms as well.
Yes. The northern one still.
The north doors swing open with small creak. The barren room contains an upraised dais on which sits a marble throne. To either side stand statues of a man clutching a book and a glaive. A ghostly figure seems to be seated in the throne, an image of the same man who appears in the statues. He seems to be addressing an audience as he moves his hands about, his fingers decorated with hooked rings, but the words issuing from his phantom mouth are difficult to make out an in a strange language.
Selena listens to the voice and repeats the message verbatum to her companions. She then detects magic on the image and scans he room as well.
Spellcraft
After the third time through she looks to the others and shrugs, It seems to be a permanent recording. Why I don't know and why there would be such an elaborate doorway to this area is perplexing as well.
skill check gamut for names and identity of what was said
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Knowledge (history) ,
Knowledge (local) ,
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Knowledge (religion)
Tunder lets Selena dictate when they will continue on. He takes the time to keep watch on the small area they are occupying.
+2 v goblin, +4 v giant, +2 underground
"Do you think it's dangerous, Selena?" The fighter peers into the room, trying to look around the corners of the doorway to see if they should enter.
Selena pauses for a moment but then shakes her head no. I don't believe so but this place thus far is a mystery to me. I can not be certain but I do not think so. It is like I said, it seems to be a permanent image designed to repeat a phrase. Perhaps like the coin column it is a clue though. We must remember this phrasing precisely for future use.
The image is magical, but the exact type and nature of the magic is beyond Selena comprehension. It is very ancient, and the forms of it are different than how magic is used now.
Only the repeating image is in the room. Searching it otherwise comes up fruitless and there is nothing else of interest here, except the endlessly looping image.
With nothing that really gives a clue to this area Selena motions to leave and go to the door to the south. Barek you are still enhanced so if there is anything behind here you should be ready for it. If there is something hostile I will boost our speed as well.
Selena looks at the seven pointed star with slits trying to determine what is necessary to open the handleless doors.
In addition to the strange lock on this southern door, Selena is able to to sense a single faint magical aura as well.
Seldon watches the illusory figure with some distant curiosity. "Perhaps I was too hasty with Desna's grace. There is much more than I had thought to be uncovered here. This island truly is remarkable."
Tunder tries to open the door.
Barek stands, waiting for the others to figure out how to open the door. "We do have this other door too," he reminds them
Know arcane
Ther is a magical aura here but again I an not place it. Perhaps you guys can explore the third door while I concentrate here. This might take some time again.
Selena pulls out here last scroll of identify and uses that to figure out the aura present.
Know arcane
There is a spell on this door which makes it much more difficult to try and unlock. Tunder I don't know even if you were perfect you could open this lock. I can try tto dispel the magical warding to make it easier for you to open.
Selena can sense the magic here is not only very old, but also very powerful. She has little chance of dispelling it, she senses.
Tunder fiddles with the lock, but can't make heads or tails of it. It obviously takes a very specialized key, unlike most door locks.
Barek goes to the middle door, and again, no sounds are heard from inside. This door, unlike the last, has normal handles, and does not appear to be locked.
Selena looks at the door with her magical sight and shakes her head. The spell on the door is beyond my means to bypass. I fear I can not get rid of the lock nor open it myself. Unless we find the specific key I do not think we will magically be able to get past this door.
Selena looks to Tunder, Tunder is there any way you can get past the locks? If not then perhaps we should follow Barek as it seems his set of doors is open to us.
"There is one way." Tunder holds his waraxe. "But we might want to try that other door first." He gestures for Barek to open the doors.
Very well then let us follow Barek and see if there is an answer to the east. If not then I will enlarge you to strike the door harder and hopefully you can break it down.
Barek nods. "Ok, let's see what's in here." He pushes the door open, ready to attack anything inside.
Barek pushes the middle door open easily. The room beyond contains three low tables, their tops covered with a strange and chilling selection of tools, saws, long-bladed knives, and objects whose purpose is not readily apparent. A strange collection of bones lies near the southern table -- too many to be one skeleton, but too few to be two.
Seldon examines the skeleton, shifting uncomfortably as he begins to regret his decision. "The way that is shut to us, then? To think that all of these mysteries have lied buried here for nearly an age."
"There's still the door on the other side of the pillar. But, Seldon's right. Whatever is locked away in that southern room, though, seems important. I wonder if that's the power Nualia sought." He picks through the bones to see if there's anything interesting. He looks to see if they're human bones or goblin bones or something else entirely.
Selena gives the room a quick scan with detect magic but stays out of the room itself. The grisly remains and equipment in here are not at all to her tastes. Although willing to help out in most situations picking through some bones like Barek was during was beyond her. Um, gulp, Take your time guys I am just going to be over here while you dig through the rest of that stuff.
Tunder searches the torture room. "The key to the southern doors could be in here."
+2 v goblin, +4 v giant, +2 underground
Seldon and Barek look at the skeleton and find there appear to be two skulls, but only the limbs of one person, the bony spine seems to indicate a second head was once attached, though these clearly look the size and shape of human bones.
Selena stands at the door, a little horrified by the grisly tools and discoveries in the room.
Tunder digs through the instruments in the room, and to his satisfaction finds a useful item on the easternmost table. It appears to be a silver ad gold seven-pointed star but on closer inspection it is clear that one side is studded with nodules and blades and a thin curved handle can be extruded from the side. It sure looks like it would fit in the strange star-shaped lock on the southern set of doors.
"Well done, Tunder. Let us press on."
Barek looks horrified at the bones. "What the hell? Some sort of two-headed person! A demon? You think whatever is locked away in there is like that?"
Know local not enough to about an ettin
Selena backs away. Who knows what the ancients did. It is possible they experimented on cross breeding species. This could be the result of such work. Have any of you heard of any two headed humanoid creatures?
When Tunder emerges from the tools and debris in the room covered in bone dust selena tries not to look mortified at the situation. Yes Tunder, good job there. Up I think as you found it you should be the one to hold on to it. It might be attuned to the first who touches it.
there is no way that selena believes that the star is attuned to Tunder but she is not touching that thing.
"Attuned? You think it's magic?" Tunder examines it again. He shrugs when he doesn't see anything new. "Now maybe we can get that door open. Everyone ready?"
Barek watches Selena with an odd look on his face. "You think it's magic? Or evil? If Nualia was searching for what's behind that door, is it going to be some great evil?"
Trying to cover herself Selena answer obliquely, Oh I am sure it is not evil as it is probably just a tool and a tool in and of itself is not inherently evil. As for it being magical it could be magical but its properties hidden. With the complexity of spells in this place it is highly likely.
As to what is behind the door, if Nualia was looking for it then it must be something sinister that she could try to use for her nefarious schemes. It would be better for us to discover what it i and put an end to it rather then let something else find it first.
"Agreed. Stay in the magic circle, it should protect you, body and spirit."
Tunder makes sure everyone is ready then goes up to the door and inserts the star. If the door does not open on its own, he pulls on the handle.
Even though she sounded confident to Barek about the need to open the door Selena was still nervous about what they were to face. The magics she had encountered down here were so far beyond her scope and power that it is quite possible that whatever is behind there is too powerful for them to contain. If that proved to be the case then they would have to close the door and lock it in again quickly.
While Tunder is getting close to the door to open in Selena uses a scroll of enlarge person on Barek hoping the extra reach and fighting prowess is enough that should they need to he could hold the door closed while Tunder locked it. Looking at Tunder with staff clutched tightly in one hand and the other by her spell component pouch Selena takes a deep breath in, Ready
The star-shaped key easily fits into the lock of the other doors. When given a little twist, the locked doors part gently. The room beyond is primarily lit by a 10-ft long pit of flickering fire that fills the room with a strange humid heat and the smell of burning hair. In the northern corners of the room, wooden risers each hold several dozen golden candles that burn without melting, while to the south the wall bears an immense carving of a seven-pointed star.
Malfeshnekor - Surprise Round
As the party opens the door and turns around a deep voice filled with malevolence whispers, "Finally!" The sound of spell-casting fills the small room, but the caster itself is no where to be seen.
Malfeshnekor - Round 1
21 Malfeshnekor
20 Selena
17 Tunder
15 Seldon
11 Barek
6 Mirela
Suddenly a great snarling canine beast, like a wolf appears in front of Tunder and lashes out with its great maw. The teeth sink into the shoulder of the stout dwarf for 10hp dmg.
Tunder moves to the side of the fire pit to make room for the others to get into the room.
Giant-Barek steps in close to the wolf, trying to give some safe avenue to those behind him. He swings his fist at the creature, trying to smash it. "Come, here you!"
spellcraft
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As soon as the creature appears Selena tries to identify it so they know what they are fighting. To make matters worse it seems to be able to cast spells from the sounds of it. Even if she can not figure the creature out or the spell she starts casting her own spell hasting the group.
Standard to cast haste which should get the entire party for 5 rounds.
Seldon looses three arrows into the room, two of his enchanted arrows from the temple and a regular arrow. "Caela ie'lle, spawn of Lamashtu!"
With magical speed provided by Selena's spell, Barek rears back and punches the wolf-creature again.