Door is locked, anyone got a key?
"We've got many keys but with our luck probably none will fit. Let's try them and if it doesn't work I'll try to pick the lock."
After some fiddling with keys, the magic key from the pool room manages to open the lock. Inside you find a small chamber with a table on the opposite side of the room. On top of this table are a number of items grouped into five piles, each with a small note attached.
- potion of bull’s strength (+4 Str for 3 minutes)
- oil of magic weapon (turns a weapon into a +1 weapon for 1 minute)
- wand of produce flame (10 charges)
- scroll of barkskin
- potion of bear's endurance (+4 Con for 3 minutes)
- oil of magic weapon
- potion of invisibility (see spell description for details. Lasts 3 minutes or until you attack, whichever comes first)
- potion of cure light wounds
- wand of cure light wounds (10 charges)
Before trying the keyhole in the statue, Etam helps with opening the door to the new room. He looks inside, at the table.
"There are 5 piles and we are 5 men, the same as when we left Kassen. Was this all already prepared for us? All these valuables in one place reek of a trap." Etam tries to estimate for how long were those items lying around, looking for accumulated dust.
"Master Zandorias, do you see anything suspicious?"
"Suspicious indeed, Etam." But a good stash, nevertheless.
Jaed carefully enters the room and approaches the table, wary but curious.
Sorry that I forgot the mage and the drunk. How are they holding up?
Five piles and six of us, counting Erazmus. Should we check on him?
The drunk seems, well, drunk. Perhaps a bit more drunk than before. He can occasionally be heard muttering about skeletons and shadows interspersed with a few curses.
Last you saw of the mage, he was cowering in the room that had the beetle.
Lets at least read the notes.
I will take 20 to inspect the piles.
Etam joins Artair in going through the notes. "These were all placed here fairly recently, the dust has barely had time to settle. And some of these look conspicuously like they were picked with our specific skills in mind: potions and oils to improve performance in battle for the warriors, scrolls for the druid, a magic implement for the more mechanically inclined, healing for the monk…If you can find no traps, master Zandorias, I believe we are supposed to take these items to help us in this assignment."
"I don't see anything that suggest a trap and these things are too valuable to walk away. I hope Etam is right and they were placed here to help us." Although I still remember that cursed dagger...
Jaed takes a look at the pile with the potion of invisibility, picks up the note and reads it.
Well I'm glad that we have finally stumbled on something good for once Finnrick says as he walks over to the pile with the wand. Millsy, keep an eye out while I look these over.
Finnrick picks up the wand and examines it. It appears to be a wand of cure Light Wounds.
I think this may be useful but I still have a few uses of it stored up for the day.
[/b]Artair let me take a look at your wounds.[/b] Finnrick says walking over to Artair and laying a hand on his shoulder.
Etam walks to the first pile, with the bull's strength and the magic weapon oil. 'These will be useful.'
He looks at Artair: "Master Artair, I believe we are the ones who might be the most efficient with these magic weapon oils. Hopefully we will be more useful should another of those incorporeal spectres appear again."
"I will take the two potions in this pile. This invisibility potion will come handy when we decide to go upstairs. Talking of which, if I remember correctly there are two doors we have not checked yet, one in the pool room and another after the room with the many traps. Should we try to open those before we go upstairs?"
"Hmmm…I had taken the rather grandiose last two rooms to be a sign that we are on the "correct path", so to speak, but I suppose it would be a shame to go upstairs unnecessarily and have to track back afterwards."
Looking at the keys, Etam thinks 'Also, what are we supposed to do with these once we're done? Take them back to the village? This pilgrimage is very badly organised for a tradition that has been going on for so long.'
Bear's endurance will enhance a rage mightly. I am sure that I can make good use of that. And yes, the magic weapon oil will augment my axe nicely. There is one pile left, I assume the drunk monk will make use of the flame and barkskin? Or would that be for the mage?
I would think that if we are wanting to complete the floor, we should probably go over to where the wailing is and deal with that, and then the other pool room. Thoughts?
Should we take the shields?
"Yours seem like a sensible plan, master Zandorias." Etam says and then turns to Artair: "I believe the best way to do this is to actually leave the items with those who can use them. Since master Finnrick is confident he can use those items, I would be fine with him keeping them. Once we are out of this place we can divide the spoils more equally."
He approaches the shields and tries one for a moment. "These are very heavy and encumbering. I could carry them, but it would slow me down significantly, so I would rather not drag them needlessly."
I can carry one without penalty. That is why I asked. Runvald could also carry one. They might prove useful. When all is said and done, we may return them to their home.
I also agree with the items being used, but there seemed to be piles for a reason, I was just trying to figure out that reason. And that last pile was stuff that I was not sure the use. The weapon oil and bull and bear potion would be useful to me. The other things I was less sure of.
Jaed tries to imitate Etam and crouches next to the other shield. However, he fails when he tries to pick it up, dropping it and emitting a soft groan.
"This is too heavy for me. But if you feel comfortable carrying one of these shields go ahead. They may come handy later."
"So, now that we have all geared up, do we all agree on checking the other door in the pool room?"
"Fine, that seems like a good compromise. Shall we continue, then?"
Etam starts walking towards the pool room, spear in hand.
Jaed follows Etam to the pool room. Once there he starts his ritual inspection of the door. He first makes sure there are no traps, then he tries to perceive any sound or movement at the other side and when he feels safe he carefully opens the door trying to make the less noise possible.
Tower shields can be fun...
to determine as I carry the shield if we can tell what they might have been used for.
Jaed does not find any traps or hear anything on the other side of the door. After fiddling around with the keys you have, he finds the key from the shadow room fits the lock perfectly. He turns it and opens the door with a slight creeeeaaakkk.
On the other side of the door is a dusty 15 by 15 foot chamber with a small small stone bench sitting in the center. On the far wall is a faded mural depicting the hero Kassen defeating the mercenaries at the entrance to this crypt, with his blade piercing the chest of the mercenary leader. These figures stand alone in the center of a scene of carnage, with dead villagers and mercenaries all around them.
Opposite to the door is a long, empty hallway the eventually turns East.
Jaed carefully enters in the chamber and inspects the surroundings for any sign of traps.
When he feels sure the room is safe he sits on the stone bench and admires the mural. "Mmm, I hope Kassen himself is not guarding that flame. I would not like to end like those mercenaries."
Etam enters the room with Jaed, looking around himself and carefully approaching the mural.
"I hope you are right, master Zandorias. He seems a formidable warrior, and one that I would prefer to have as a teacher, not as a foe. The fact that this crypt is riddled with abominations is a good indication that he is fast asleep, I would say."
"Look at those golden medallions Kassen and the mercenary are wearing. It's odd that both of them are so similar. Did they know each other before fighting?" And more importantly, is any of those necklaces still in this crypt? It could be a good souvenir to bring back home.
After a quite relaxing moment admiring the mural Jaed stands up and starts walking towards the empty hallway. "Shall we keep going? That flame should not be far. I'm going to take a look around that corner."
Jaed silently moves until the end of the hallway, staying close to the left wall. When he gets to the end of it he peaks around the corner wondering what could be waiting for them.
Around the corner is a door. It doesn't appear either trapped or locked.
Go through the door shall we? Go first will who?
Happy May the 4th! Do or do not, there is no try!
"Hmmm…now that you say it, yes, they are quite similar. Perhaps just some artistic freedom the painter took when representing Kassen's famous battle?" Etam looks away from the mural and moves towards the corridor. "I can go first. Master Zandorias, let me know when you are done scouting."
"It looks clear but dark forces may be waiting at the other side of that door. Etam, I think we all appreciate your bravery but wouldn't it be wiser that someone carrying one of those enormous shields goes first?"
Grunting, Runvald lugs the heavy shield he's carrying forward. He roughly shoves the door open, but in his inebriated condition, he isn't paying very much attention. As a result, he fails to see the door swing back towards him, banging him in the nose. This is shortly followed by a great deal of slurred yelling in Dwarven. Though not all of you understand it, his meaning is pretty clear.
More carefully this time, he pushes the door open and steps into the room, preventing the heavy door from closing again with his body. Around his frame, you see that a single pillar in the center of the room supports the wide, domed chamber. The pillar is surrounded by a pit, but a stone bridge crosses the pit on the south side. Dozens of arrows jut from holes in the pillar, facing every direction. You see doors to both the East and South.
"As you prefer, master Zandorias." Etam says, whilst letting Runvald pass 'Though I am not sure how much wiser it is to have the drunk monk carrying a shield bigger than himself go alone in a dark room possibly filled with undead horrors.'
Seeing the slapstick scene unfolding in front of him, Etam sighs: "Master Bottle-Kisser, is everything alright?" And then seeing all the arrows sticking out of the pillar: "Well, men, it seems that bringing these shields was a very good idea."
Panting Finnrick and Millsy come running into the room.
Apologies for my lateness, Millsy and I got turned around on our way here. Did you see that mural, what a sight?
Jaed lets out a loud sigh when he sees the pillar full of arrows. "Nice. We've had pits, armed statues and now flying arrows. The traps in this crypt are getting more interesting."
He approaches the door and, peaking over the tower shield the dwarf is holding, he tries to identify anything that could indicate how the trap is activated.
"How are we doing this? Will we try to activate the trap and hope that those shields will give enough cover?" That drunkard could go first. I'm sure we will fall over or bump into whatever activates the trap
"Might I have a look?" Finnrick says walking to where the dwarf hides behind the wooden shield.
He then takes a step back to confer with Jaed over what he could make of the room.
I will lead, shall we go to the other side? Or do we want to take our time?
"I would rather us inspect the pillar before we open the door. To have some contraption firing arrows at our backs when we are dealing with an enemy is something I would very much prefer to avoid".
Etam tries to help Jaed, guided more by instinct than actual knowledge of what he should be looking for.
Finnrick manages to determine that opening the door triggers the arrows. However, before he has a chance to say anything, the pillar begins spinning. A single arrow fires out, hitting Runvald with a glancing blow.
Can we tell anything about the contraption? The arrow? Was it fired when we opened the door or when we said we were going to enter the room? Also what type of cover do we get from these shields?
So I can stand out there and take total cover from the shield by pointing it at the source of the arrows? I will do that.
"It looks like we'll have to deal with that pillar while it shoots the arrows."
Jaed stays behind the corner, where he feels safe from the arrows. "Runvald, Artair try to get close to the pillar using the big shields as cover and see if there is a way of stopping it." Those big shield may be useful after all.