"Not to be rude, but I would rather not say."
I think she ment anything intresting statues, great murals, or sarcophagui. That sort of thing.
"OH! Well then perhaps we have." Queslin gives a look at Kyle, the only other member of their band to remain.
"Dammit, someone musta blabbbed." Kyle complains."An' da rest o' dem jus' took off, too. I dunno, Pointy. Looks like we got other competition 'sides 'Da Four'. Still wanna cut an run ta town? Place'll be crawlin' wid 'venturers by tomorrow."
The dwarf looks at the motley group gathered around him, before putting his flail on his belt and leaning his shield against a wall. "Ah'm Thalin o' Pontyral, sun o' Dolin, shieldbearer o' t'e Oeridian Skyrts. Ah'm no' plannin' ta take yer treasures. Ah was lookin' ta no' die in da night frum wha'e'er is makin' t'at wailin'."
Blabbed about what? Oh ah I see you found something ahem "interesting". Well I was just interested in the carvings I had heard about that's why I agreed to come find your friend. But I never turn down profit. Are you gentleman injured? If so let me tend to your wounds and perhaps we can strike a deal profitable to all....
Tessa snorts at the Suloise man who was leaving the cairn. "Adventurers. Adventurers don't come to Diamond Lake. Adventurers leave it." She lowers her axe again, settling into as relaxed a pose as she's presented thus far. "Tessa," she says simply to the group.
"As far as we can tell so far, good dwarf, is that the wailing is an effect of the wind and not of anything nefarious. Though we have not yet investigated all parts of the tomb."[b] Queslin says in response to Thalin. [b]"Well, if you would agree to aid us in exploring the complex and keep quiet about anyghing yo dind until we aredone, I see no reason to let you at us."
Oh I have no problem with that. As long as everyone gets a fair share. He looks the other two acessing their hurts and nods holding up a his Symbol of WeeJas there is a moment of quiet before energy blooms about them sealing up their wounds.
Channel enegry
Ah much better all nice and healed now by the hand of my Lady. Shall we continue this delve or do we still need a quick bit of supplies?
The glyphs are very old and represent personal seals. The alphabet used is called Vaati and is related to the elemental plane of Air. Some scholars consider Vaati the proto-form of Auran.
Hmmmmm Vaati I could translate this with a few hours work. I know Auran which is the language that sprang from this.
He pulls out his paper and some chalk and makes rubbings of the glyphs. To study when he gets back to town.
What else have you gents found perhaps we can help with it.
Agreed. From this point on, you are all entitled to an equal share of any wealth we locate within. Anything we have claimed to this point, however, you have no claim to." Queslin looks to Kyle for his agreement. "There is actually one problem you might be able to help overcome. There is a fairly good sized patch of brown mold keeping us from investigating an area. We were going back to town to rest and try and figure out a way to get past it."
Hmmmm. That falls outside what I have studied so far but if I remember I have heard it can be destroyed by cold. Perhaps a vial of alchemists ice. I have the means to procure such but only for even shares period. We could send who ever is quickest back to town for it....
He looks at the elf not willing to budge its all together or he will pack up. If he is gonna invest that much it must come at an equal cost to the rest.
"Ah, ya missed a buncha dem from Greyhawk City, called demselves da Four. Dey came to Diamond Lake. Only dey're headed out ta da wrong ruins. And we wanna keep it dat way, right, cutie?" he responds to Tessa regarding adventurers. Normally, he'd be in complete agreement with her in this regard, but The Four proved that theory wrong.
"'Tis a true pleasure, Tessa. My name's Kyle Reyford, and Pointy 'ere goes by da name Queslin."
Kyle nods agreement to Queslin's proposal, and then again to Ralafas' counter-proposal regarding the alchemical ice, although he adds "Might be a bit tricky gettin' ahold o' sometin like dat in a pisspot town like D Lake, though. Still, I know a few fellas in da know, and I'm light on my feet. Queslin, ya won't go gettin murdered an' let dem take all da loot while I'm gone, right?" Kyle winks at the elf.
Here take this and go quickly I would rather not have this contested. Bring back my change please.
Tosses Kyle a pouch of gold.
Looking at the 4 others standing there, while they try to decide what they think they should do next, Thalin plops to the ground, planting his dwarven butt on the stone floor.
"A grea' dwarf told me t'at if ya ain't movin' 'n' ye ain't fightin', there's no reason no' ta be restin'. Ye cin t'ink 'n' sit at t'e same time. Now, wha' do ye keen ta ge' pass t'e mold? Anyt'in' here we cin use ta no' hafta run oof yet?"
Kyle runs off to town to get the alchemical ice. He tells the seller one of his usual stories about some grand scheme (probably something to do with freezing a lock to make it brittle, or maybe playing a joke on the barkeep by freezing one of his kegs solid, or some such. Whatever will cause more eye rolls and less belief/less questions.) He gets back as soon as he can, handing Ralafas back his coin, as well as the ice. "Be careful wid dat stuff. I hear it kin freeze off yer bits and tinder, if ya knew wut I mean."
That is true but lets have someone a bit more dexterous than me throw this at the blockage. The question being who isn't?
He takes his change back and looks around waiting for someone to volunteer to throw it.
"Heard about The Four," Tessa responded in what clearly is her typical brusque manner. "Orog, muscle-bound idiot, skinny b!$+!, magic nerd. Probably fools. Not my concern." She listens as Kyle describes the mold that prevented them from continuing. "Cold mold. Weird."
When it comes to the matter of throwing the vial, she held up her hands. "Don't look here."
"If ye don' wanna throw it, Ah cin doo t'at fer ye, but Ah ain't vehy good wit' throwin'." The dwarf shrugs as he speaks.
"Perhaps I was not very clear. I am not trying to trick you or to cheat you. Those things which we have found and currently hold have already been spoken for and are not available to be split further. Anything and everything still inside the tomb is eligible however."
"Why not keep it until we get to the area. There is much to be seen before that point. We can then work out who will throw the flask. There is a mirror before then that you might be interested in."
So your companions who are leaving still get paid? So nice you are. Alright then and mirror eh interesting. As for the flask I am not adept at such things and wish to make sure my investment wasn't wasted.
"I've thrown a knife or two in my day. If everyone else is squeemish, stand back and I'll do the tossing." Once inside the tomb, Kyle seems to be talking more proper common.
He passes over the vial and stands back to watch hoping this will work. Thank you sir. I have never been the most adept at things like that. Names Ralafas by the way.
Kyle smiles, mouth full of teeth as they say, "Kyle, in case you didn't hear when I said it to your lady friend. And that's Queslin. He never means to be rude; he just can't seem to stop. It's like an addiction or something."
Kyle throws the alchemical ice into the middle of the brown mold for cold damage and 1 splash cold damage.
Thank you. Now as we wait for the mold to finish dying show me this mirrior you speak of please. He smiles pleasantly and waits on Kyle to show it to him. Once they are there he looks it over carefully and examines any glyphs on it. After casting detect magic and examining it he will make rubbings of the glyphs.
Spellcraft
Relgion
Linguistics
History
Tessa grunts in approval as the mold blackens and dies where the alchemical freeze has been placed. "Easy enough," she says aloud to no one in particular, and follows as the priest of the Green Lady begins examining the glyphs. "Any magic in it?", she pointedly asks the Suloise man.
Of course. I figured that some of them would be very interested in the archaeological leavings found inside before the elevator and mold.
So while I am examining this tell me about yourselves. How came you to be in Diamond lake and what are your plans after we are done here. I ask because I am in the market for a group to join. I have completed my training and unless I wish to go into a cloister or be bound to a temple it is time for me to find my own path.
"Ah don' un'erstann' yer question. Mah feet brooght meh ta Diamond Lake. 'T's jest ah bump in t'e road. Ah'm lookin' ta find mah fuchur, mah forchun, 'n' Ah fig'red ta star' in Greyhawk. 'Nyboody else?"
The brown mold withers and dies under the cold effect of the Alchemist ice. Before you lies a large chamber. The ceiling glows with what looks like natural sunlight, illuminating a series of worktables, vises, spinning wheels, and blocks of unfinished marble that identify the room as a sculptor's workshop. A huge unfinished statue of an imposing bare-chested warrior wielding a staff-like rod in its left hand dominates the north wall. The hairless figure looks similar to the bas-relief on the sarcophagus upstairs, but it is clearly a different person. A red dias against the south wall displays what appears to be a human sized boulder that is in the shape of an egg. A gold glyph-an equilateral triangle with short hash marks though each leg - marks the face of the egg.
"Born here," she said. "Probably will die here." It's said flatly, with an acceptance of the nature of life in Diamond Lake.
Tessa's brow furrows as she sees the room beyond the mold. "Strange runes. Meaning?" She looks to the Suloise man for a translation.
Know history for who the statue might be.
Know relgion for the same
Linguistics for glyphs
Know history egg/glyph on it
Know religion egg/glyph on it
Know history for rod on statue
Know religion same
Hmm looks like a work shop. He looks important hmmm let me think. And that rod might be a part of a rulers regalia... Weird egg with glyph. Hmmmm. Let me think.
Walks around slowly inspecting everything as he looks at it also using detect magic to make sure anything he tiuches isn't magic. If the egg and glyph aren't he makes a rubbing.
Queslin admits to having no knowledge of any of this and allows his new allies take the lead in this room.
"'K. Stachews. Magicked? Mustaches? At leas' t'ey ain' tryin' ta kill us." With that, the dwarf tries to set up a watch post near any exits leading to unexplored areas.
"Eggs do one thing. Hatch. What's inside?" She gives the runed boulder the stink-eye as the archaeologist continues examining everything. As he does, she thinks back at everything the flagellants beat into her over the course of her training, searching for anything relevant to the things she sees before her.
That is true but I know not if thos represents an egg or is an egg which is what I am trying to figure out. There is also this glyphs. I wish I had paid more attention during my arcana studies. He leafs slowly through his record book making sketches for later reference. [B] If nothing tickles my memory soon we can move on and I will have the sketches to reference once I can get to a library.
The statue of the figure holding the rod, appears to be a representation of a Wind Duke Aaqa. The rod that he holds appears to be that of the famous Rod of Law a mighty artifact. The rod has six notches along its length suggesting seven parts or sections.
The glyphs on the egg remain a mystery.
"Ah, but eggs gotta be fertilized before they hatch, right?" Kyle winks lasciviously at Tessa as he says this. Then he turns to Ralafas "Otherwise all they're good for is scrambling and eating."
Ralafas finishes his sketches of the egg and statue. I think that might be the Duke Aaqa a ruler of the Vaati. And the rod he holds is the Rod of Seven parts made whole into the rod of law. Lets search the room and see if we can uncover anything usefull. This place grows more and more interesting. This place must be ancient. I mean like older than human or eleven kind.
"So's no' t'at speshul, t'en?" The dwarf takes an obvious poke at the definition of ancient in use. "Get ta lookin'? Ah cin do t'at.'"
With that said, he starts poking around the room, trying to assist in the search.
Sputters. Not that special? This places is amazing there's nearly nothing left from back then this is a treasure trove for scholars and sages Looks indignantly at the dwarf.
"Bah, scholar's an' sages ain't got no money to pay for treasure troves, so dey take old junk an say it's worth a fortune. A fortune dey never pay, claiming it belongs to history or some other nonsense." Kyle smiles as he talks, enjoying the frustration of the scholar.
Then how's this if we could safely and in one piece get this stuff out of here. The temple of WeeJas or the libraries of Greyhawk would both vie for it. Things like this do not belong to history nothing does. But they do belong to their finders.
Tessa mulls over Kyle's words, then turns back to the boulder, regarding it in a new light. "Big for an omelet," she says to no one in particular. As the two Suloise men quibble about what to do with the astounding archaeological find, she quickly grows board. "Two Wind Dukes right here," she says to Thalin, gesturing back towards the two men. "Waste enough of it."
Queslin chuckles at Tessa's comment. "So, we figure out how to get this out of here and to the temple so we can partake of some of this ancient treasure's value or we leave it and see what else this complex holds."