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After a weeks travel Rand, Flint and Balta ascend Bryson's look, s small, lightly forested hill. Near the top they begin to find old bits of ruin and occasional stone block.
Not much farther along, evidence of camps begin to crop up, long burnt out cook fires and rusted through kettles. There, next to a copse of silver maples, is a twenty foot wide pit with a set of stone stairs descending..
Balta whispers, "Looks like that may be it... and it appears that someone had visited this site before..."
He cautiously shuffles his way towards the tracks to inspect them:
Survival(track): [+2 if evil outsiders]
Balta is able to make out the footprints of at least a few medium humanoids. There may be more but the details must be washed away by the recent rains.
"Looks like a few humanoids have come this way sometime before those rains" Balta whispers.
"Might be some other adventuring party. Surely not as well-trained as we are so we'll catch up to them in a heartbeat", he ends with a smirk.
"Then perhaps we should proceed with caution." flint murmurs creeping forward to peer over balta's shoulder.
Kicking at one of the cooking fires "Is there a set of stairs? Or a rope to climb down? At the very least the poor dead souls can help us with our decent." Starts to walk over to the pit.
"There does appear to be a set of stairs. Perhaps Balta should take the lead, he may tread more lightly than we two..." stepping aside so Rand may walk ahead.
"I just hope the first thing we come across has some armor. Gorums protection only goes so far. How did you got me that drunk? Its really not like me to gamble... my armor away... to little girls... What WHERE they doing there at that pub anyways?!" Tightens his belt and takes his place behind Balta.
"They were savvy, you're lucky I found you before they left you naked... also they were orcs." Flint grins and claps rand on the shoulder.
"Also there where orcs... what?" Turns to look at flint "Also there where orcs that wanted me naked? You know what I really dont want to know. I just want some armor. I Feel like im naked without armor on."
"Well, perhaps its best I scout ahead. Your naked self might attract unwanted orc attention it seems."
Balta shifts his focus to the depths of the pit, pulls out his trusty axes, and proceeds with caution into the shadows within.
Stealth:
Perception: (+2 for noticing unusual stonework)
Quiet as a whisper, Balta slinks down the set of stone stairs. Thirty feet down, he spies an oaken set of double doors, banded in worked steel. Balta perceives nothing unusual at the base of the stairs.
With a smirk, Balta signals to the others with a wave and a series of clicking noises with his tongue. A nearly-forgotten code they had come up with in their younger years that had meant "I found something interesting". As he awaits their descent, he pulls out his trusty mirror and searches the doors for any traps or signs of recent use.
Perception:
(+2 for noticing unusual stonework if applicable)
Walks down the stairs,with a sense of comfort for being back underground. Draws Mourning while saying a mumbled prayer to Gorum.
Balta finds the door bereft of traps and in fact, unlocked.
Whispering "Enter, ill be right behind you."
"Aye, me as well."
Beyond the double door, the stairwell stretches out to 20' wide and continues for another 20'. Beyond is a 20x20 foot landing with staircases descending from the east, west and northern sides.
"I say we go North" But checks if there is a difference in the walls or any sounds coming from all of the 3 ways.
+2 {Stonecunning}
Then I suggest you cover me
Balta shuffles along the walls of the landing quietly, surveying his path for traps before arriving at the base of the northern one.
Stealth:
Perception: (+2 for unusual stonework)
Mumbles "Cover me? Looks at his Greatsword. Shrugs.
Balta sweeps over the stone masonry finding nothing unusual until he gets to the northern corridor. On either side of the doors are crudely drawn symbols, painted in mud, blood and other unidentified substances.
Balta, give me a knowledge religion check to identify the symbols.
Perplexed, Balta glances over at his companions and gestures at the symbols with his chin
Walking up to see what all the hub bub is about. Looks at the Symbols. HARD.
Rand quickly recognizes these symbols as those used by the followers of Rovagug, The Rough Beast.
These symbols do not bode well for us. They are the markings of Rovagug and his Zealots. They are evil and have only destruction on there mind. Us making short work of them will be doing a favor to all good peoples. Lets move forward Balta.
Takes a place next to Balta. And starts to move forward.
Rovagug... Never heard of him. My time in solace taught me many things, but I unfortunately could not continue in the schooling that you two took part in... Balta quietly mumbles.
Perhaps you could teach me some more about him after I show you how to skin his minions Balta says with a smile as he twirls his axes with his fingers.
Sleight of hand (to twirl axes):
Balta ends his display with a firm grip on his axe handles and focuses on the path ahead.
"Aye, perhaps we can glean some information from the followers of this rough beast..."
"Shall we see if any have recently passed through?"
testing dice roller:
Twenty feet down the stone stair, an ancient hall of mortared stone stretches before you, littered with small bits of rotten, splintered wood and grimy tatters of cloth. A dim torch in a sconce ahead reveals a number of wooden doors, all closed. It stinks of urine and sweat here.
"I think I should open the door on the Left. Ill open the door and Balta and Flint Cover me." Walks up to the door and presses ear to it.
(+1 if Surprise, +2 If stonecuning)
Balta stands behind Rand and keeps watch on the doors surrounding them, and peers down the hallway for any signs of motion.
Perception: (+2 stonecunning)
Flint takes up position behind and to the left of Rand and reaches into his belt pouch, feeling for certain components. "Shall we?"He whispers.
Opens door.
Rand hears nothing beyond the wooden door, likewise Balta's keen senses fail to spot any movement in the corridor ahead.
Satisfied that the area seems to be free of immediate danger, Rand opens the door. Ahead of you is a dank room that smells of mold and rot. Old crates and barrels fill the chamber.
In a hushed tone.
"Ok everyone seems empty. But lets clear the room and make sure.
Walks into the room.