Mordecai discerns that the orb is merely infused with a spell that makes it reflect the current phase of the moon.
Hess walks around the fountain slowly observing it for any reactions.
Perception
The fountain remains stubbornly obstinate in it's inanimateness.
"Nothing special about the fountain". "How about the Statue"? "I'm going to go check out the graveyard now". Hess explains to his companions.
He then cautiously heads in that direction.
"Nothing I can see about the statue of the Titan. Has some gem eyes and teeth, but I would not try to take them...you never know. I will join you Hess,"Leng say as he too walks over to the graveyard.
"The orb reflects the current phase of the moon. I wonder why that might have been important to the inhabitants."
Shaking his head the aasimar looks to the exits.
"I think we've little else to learn here. Which way in?"
Mordecai knows that many cults place importance upon the phase of the moon... but he does not know why this cult did.
Walking to the garden, you see it is a large area surrounded by what remains of a rusted, wrought iron fence. It is a tangle of vines and brambles with the rotting remains of various types of fruits and vegetables under the tangled growth. Looking closer you see that the earth used to be tilled... but has not been for some time.
Sasha notices many exits from the courtyard. The main entrance is to the South West - through double doors, there is also a door to the SE past the garden. On the North and West walls there are also some minor doors - two on the north wall and three on the West. Lastly there are two doors to the South - one past the crypt and the second past the statue of the titan.
"What say you all, double doors in the South West?"
Mordecai says with a hint of revulsion, "I have no evidence to suggest that any door is better than the other. I will follow you, let's just get out of here as quickly as possible."
The cemetery is also surrounded by a wrought iron fence. It is overgrown with tall grass, like the rest of the courtyard, but grave stones can be seen here and there. Many of the stones are toppled or broken. There are pits or shallow depressions where some of the graves should be. Some of the grave stones are topped by gargoyles. All of them are marked with the teardrop and burning skull emblems of the Black Brotherhood. The faint stench of rotting corpses rises from all of the graves.
The crypt is a stone building, 30 ft. by 20 ft., standing just over 10 ft. high. It has been built down into the moist earth, so that the flat roof is only six feet above the surface. A set of dirty, broken steps leads down to a pair of rusted iron double doors. Gargoyle statues stand to either side of the entrance. Above the door is carved the face and wings of a bat.
"Shall we examine the crypt while we are here?"
Sasha nods.
"To the crypt then."
Moving to the crypt's entrance you find that the doors are rusted firmly shut with disuse. To gain entry within you will need to force them open.
Sasha sheathes his weapon and attempts to force the gate.
"Some help here fellows."
With the assistance of those that stand behind him, Sasha sees the doors forced open. Immediately a dense fog pours from the mouth of the bat carving over the door arch. This fog flows in a perfect sheet, completely covering the door and disappearing when it touches the ground... blocking your view of what lies within.
"Hold up, let me discern the nature of this fog" says Mordecai, focusing his gaze on it.
The billowing sheet of fog betrays an aura of evocation.
"Hmmm... This could prove dangerous. It radiates the same sort of energy that many harmful spells use."
Mordecai uses his telekinesis to move something such as a loose stick or rock into the fog flow to observe how it reacts.
The rock passes through the fog curtain without any reaction by the fog nor impact upon the rock.
"Well, that concludes my research. Lead on."
Hess will first try to determine the nature of this "fog from a crypt".
Knowledge: Religion
Then begins to cast a spell...
"Perhaps a scout is called for"?
Sasha waits while Mordecai tests the fog.
"I'm not sure a stick through the fog is a good test Mordecai, but never let it be said I run from some smoke. Unless anyone has a better idea I'll look inside."
"Do what you must, I was just checking it out. No sense letting you run through some acidic fog if the good ol' rock test could have saved you" Mordecai says, as jovially as he can pretend to be.
As Hess begins incantations Sasha cautiously begins to pass through the fog curtain. He feels the fog pass over his plated form and it feels heavy and dangerously cold. There is some resistance as it almost seems like the fog seeks cracks in his armor where it can touch living flesh... however it is yet defeated in it's search. His arm is through the curtain to the elbow...
Hess can discern no religious symbolism at play.
"It's cold. Have we any means of resisting that?"
Sasha pushes through, trusting his natural resistance to mitigate some of the harm.
"I do, but I have no way to confer such a resistance to you."
Hess finishes his conjuration, and sends his summoned celestial rat through the barrier.
"Like that", he finishes.
An answer to questions and concerns is given to both Hess and Sasha simultaneously. While Sasha seems to pass completely through the mist curtain without injury... the rat is less lucky. As soon as it's nose touches the curtain of fog it lets out a keening wail of pain. The rat is almost instantly consumed by the mist - eating it away as though it were doused in a powerful acid. It's wail is mercifully short as it fades back to it's home plane.
Inside the crypt are four long stone biers, four feet tall. Resting upon these platforms are four human bodies, wrapped in black robes. Three of the bodies are elderly men and the fourth is a woman.
"Hmmm.... does anyone have a shield?"
Mordecai casts about for an intact door or something similarly slab-shaped and relatively thin of a material other than stone (which is likely too heavy for him to hold up).
Mordecai sees nothing of the like freestanding. The various doors that lead into the monastery might suit his purpose if they were not too thick - but they would need be opened and removed first.
Feeling the burn of acid even through his supernatural protection, Sasha, quickly removes his helm and attempts to remove the acid.
"It's not cold, it's acid!"
Leng looks at the wall of mist, then asks;
"Do we have a way of blowing the mist away? Or maybe running in will lessen the damage?"
"Well, Sasha made it through in armor just fine but that rat did not. And now he says it is acid, not cold. I have no invocations to blow away mist. Sasha, can you see anything in there like a shield, table, plank, et cetera that we could hold above ourselves so that those of us without armor could make it through without that mist touching us? I looked around out here but I don't see anything."
"There are 4 bodies in here on biers but I'd rather not disturb them alone. The mist is very potent, without some form of protection you will all be badly injured. Do we wish to withdraw and return here later?"
"Perhaps discretion is the better part of valor here. That mist might even be to keep those bodies in. Come on out, and we will return here. I am not going to walk through that mist, lightly armored as I am."
Leng will cover himself in his blanket and then jump through the fog. He will take care to ensure that he is covered completely... don't know if there is a roll for this or not. Between the blanket and his tight fitted ninja outfit, he should have all of his exposed skin covered.
Leng is able to safely pass through the fog so covered. The tendrils of cold lick hungrily at the covering as he moves through... but you arrive unharmed. Any others who care to can make the same passage.
Inside the crypt are four long stone biers, four feet tall. Resting upon these platforms are four human bodies, wrapped in black robes. Three of the bodies are elderly men and the fourth is a woman.
"Greetings again Sasha. Thanks to your little experiment it seems we know how to pass this fog safely. We need to get Hess in here to deal with your wounds, as well as advise us on there bodies."
"Perhaps I could shape a stone passage through the wall or ceiling, bypassing the fog...Oh I see". "Never mind"
Hess begins to pull his blanket from his pack to duplicate Leng's act.
"Aah, I see. Not just metal, but even cloth. The mist seeks only flesh. Interesting. I am surprised I did not sense necromancy in this effect... No matter," Mordecai says as he pulls his cloak hood up and tightly envelops his whole body in the cloak before stepping through.