Between having to keep his shield out of the way and pulling off his plain tabard so that the breastplate can shine, Marc is having obvious difficulties with the glowing breastplate. Wizard, get rid of this spell. This is worse than being blind.
Marc shakes his head in frustration in the dim light provided by Lucrezia's shield. Lucrezia...Halfdan will need your shield to search the door. He shrugs into his tabard and covers his breastplate once again.
Raven notices that the skeletons closest to the entrance seem to have been moved there relatively recently. Furthermore, the empty holes closest to them look like they have had corpses in them as well which were similarly removed rather recently.
Hafdan scans the door, running his hands lightly along the edges and inspecting the joins as well.
Hafdan finds a swinging axe trap set to trigger when the door opens but is easily able to disable it. The door groans and slides open when the trap has been disabled, swinging slowly inward. Inside the rather spacious corridor continues, however it is, in fact, surrounded by stone walls. There are torch holders set into the walls at regular intervals, alternating between the left and right side. Torches rest in the holders, but they have clearly burned out long ago and most have rotted in addition.
As you all continue, you notice that about fifty feet from the metal door the path splits to the left and right. Lucrezia and Raven notice a faint sound coming from the right path, but it is likely a ways away and separated by a number of turns.
Marc nods to Raven, Stay close and keep the light high, if able. With a frown directed towards Zephyr, he turns back down the tunnel. At the split he leans towards Halfdan and speaks softly, Which way, do you think?
Looking down the right path, Lucrezia comments; "I think I hear something from down the right side path, but it's too faint for me to make out what it is."
Then right it is. Marc turns to head down that passageway.
Lucius just quietly nods his head in agreement.
Lucrezia follows the others down the right path, staying close to Lucius's side.
"I will do my best to keep our location well lit," Raven remarks dryly.
He then follows the rest of the party down the right corridor.
Heading down the right path you get about fifty feet before the passage turn to the left. Ten feet past the turn is another heavy metal door and as you round the corner you notice that the sounds are growing louder and seem to be moving closer. The sounds don't seem to be coming from the other side of the door however and still seem a room or two away.
Hafdan notices no traps, but in searching the door seems to find a rather strange looking combination lock. Attempting to pick it, he fails at first and gets the sense that it is a rather difficult and well made thing, and has stood up for many years, though it does look as though it has been opened recently.
"Have another shot at the door, Hafdan."
Raven touches him on the shoulder, invoking the Guidance of Asmodeus.
Hafdan can feel an almost perceptible heat where Raven's hand was and his fingers seem to want to jump to the lock.
I'll be damned if this thrice cursed lock is going to best ME! Hafdan hunches down, trying to block out all other stimulus other than the lock before him.
Marc smirks as Halfdan works, Not to worry, it appears we have plenty of time.
The lock eventually tumbles into places and the door slides into the left wall with a loud groan. The sounds from further in move closer still, accompanied now by cranks and groans of movement as well. Beyond the door is a large room, roughly 100 feet on each side, with a floor marked by 10x10 tiles of varying colors. They all seem to be crafted from single types of minerals or stones and have images of various scenes carved into them. It seems that each scene continues over squares of a particular material with each type looking to be carved by a different individual.
The walls are the same gray stone as the hallway, but in various places there are clearly large rectangular slabs of different stone set within the wall. The rectangular pieces are about the size of the holes in the dirt walls along the sides of the entrance tunnel and it seems reasonable that they are covers for similar storage spaces. On the far end of the room is a single other door.
"Wow, rather artistic for sneaky little bastards aren't they?"
"I have a feeling they didn't make those. This seems too complex for them. I hope I'm wrong on this one."
"I agree, this seems to be beyond generic goblinoids, but it is still nonetheless impressive."
Raven - You notice that some of the depictions, particularly the cruder ones, seem to show stories of Lamashtu and the travels of various monstrous races. You also can tell that there are definitely depictions of some humanoids standing around what looks like a bowl or an altar that are involved in the creation of something that is likely undead.
Zephyr - In some of the incredibly well crafted squares you notice the stories of Earthfall and its history. You also notice on another set of stories, a depiction of some people, probably humanoid, coming from the underground and meeting with what look like goblinoids.
Lucrezia - You notice the depictions of an underground people meeting with goblinoids.
Lucrezia looks over to Hafdan. "Do you see any traps or is it safe to enter the room?"
Hafdan approaches the tiled floor cautiously. Do I see any traps? Foreboding seems to be a fitting description for art like this, so I'm bound to find something.
You find no traps in the entrance area and start to move slowly inward.
Hafdan continues along the floor and, slow and steady, clears the floor. He doesn't seem to find any traps along the floor and all of the carved squares seem solid flooring. The sounds from further in seem to hit the room beyond the door and then fall silent.
Marc waits patiently as Halfdan searches the room.
When you get close to the far door, you notice that it is definitely rigged before you even touch it. There is a slight sheen to the door and it seems readily apparent that there is some kind of magical effect on the door. You attempt to disable the protective trap but don't seem to get it on the first try, though fortunately, you don't think you've sprung the trap.
Hafdan calls out over his shoulder as he leans a little away from the door. The floor's all clear but there's some kind of ward on this door over here. I haven't had any luck yet with it but perhaps one of you of the scholarly bent could maybe help point out what I'm dealing with here before I blow my damn face off.
There is obviously magic there and you can tell that the school is abjuration and that the aura is faint. You eventually find a glyph set into the door and via Read Magic, you find it to be a glyph of warding, holding a Deeper Darkness spell.
Well I'm going to go out on a paranoid limb here and guess that the Deeper Darkness is somehow tied to something worse so if you guys still want to keep back, I'll give it another go. Once everyone clears back to the room entrance Hafdan sets to the glyph with his tools again.
After he goes back to try it again, Lucrezia will cast a spell on his 1st re-attempt.
Hafdan, your first attempt is able to disable the trap. The glyph winks out and the magic fades away.
"Well, if the trap is gone now are we ready to open the door and see what or who is on the other side?"
Raven grips his sword tightly, adopts a position to one side of the door, and nods his assent.
The door slides with a groan into the ceiling when it is opened, dirt and small pieces of stone falling to the floor as the apparatus drags the door against the walls. The room beyond looks like it was once a greeting area, the remains of tables and chairs, now mostly rotted wood, are scattered all around with tattered and decaying sheets and table cloths thrown over most of them. In the corners of the room are stacks of broken crates, probably holding supplies for visitors. The room is much smaller than the previous one, only about 20ft on the side you have entered and 30ft along the other wall. There is a single other door set in the center of the wall to your right.
Marc steps into the room behind Halfdan. Magical traps? This will get interesting fast.