"Good." Garroth sighed with a thankful smile at the agreement to stop for the day "Although I'm not sure I like your term...Maybe "Valiant front liner"? Has a better ring to it I think." He chuckled a bit then pushed himself up the wall and started staggering inside the room the skeletons had occupied. "Lets camp in here and bar the door." Walking past the strange new man, he stopped to offer a hand. "My thanks for your assistance. If you need to leave, that way will take you into a ravine and eventually a way up." He pointed the way they had came. "But if you want, you can share our camp, maybe tell us who you are and where you came from, and we can share our stories as well. Its the least we can do."
Ah, yes, camping. You all secure the secret door and rest through the night with no interruption. The next morning (or at least several hours later, who knows what time it is down here anyways?), you all awake a little stiff from the cold stone floor, but otherwise in better condition.
Settling in, Garroth told the stranger their tale up the current point. After finishing, he looked at him with interest. "So, I'm guessing there's a rather interesting story to go with the way you appeared?"
"Not that interestin'?" Garroth said, brow raised considerably. "I dunno about that. Seems rather amazin' to me really." He shrugged and settled in better. "Dont rightly know what the place is called, although best I can tell we are in a big ol' castle sunk into the ground.
He lay down fully, putting his hands behind his head with a grimace of pain. "As for your "Queen-mother", doesnt ring any bells so cant help you there."
Closing his eyes with a content sigh, he added: "Names Garroth by the way. Pleased to make your acquaintance Trak."
The wolf raises a brow at the curious newcomer. "I must admit this isn't something a person sees every day. We're investigating these ruins, both to see if anything fishy is going on and in case something worth saving can be found. I'm Romboldt, well met Trak."
Suddenly opening his eyes again, a look of realization on his face, Garroth propped himself up on his elbows and started rummaging through his pack. Finding what he was looking for, he fished one of the Chokers rings out, holding it towards Sam. "I almost forgot this. Someone mentioned it was magical before we were rudely interrupted by skeletons. Think you can find out what it does?"
Ali's mouth split into a wide (if maybe a little bit creepy) grin. She had never seen one of these before in all her time off the water. Her current travelling companions were the best at finding excitement!! 'I may have to write a song for them in tribute. Something catchy.' She moved closer to Trak, practically vibrating in excitement.
"I'm Aliatris, Fellow Not Tall Friend Trak. And you're interesting."She turned her attention to Sam, gesturing wildly to Trak and between them"Sam! Sam!! Can we bring him along?"She looked back at Trak "You do want to come with us, right? Right?! This is an adventure worth having!!"
Following their invigorating rest, Garroth seemed much more cheerful again, although his physical health left something to be desired. There was only so much a nights sleep could do for the body, and the half-orc still looked in no condition to be fighting monsters. "I don't suppose any of you possess some of that mojo Snith had? This is normally where id ask him, but with that coward gone, mans gotta look elsewhere." He looked around at his companions. "Otherwise, hand me one of those potions."
Sam, you decide to give it a few moments and study the ring for a bit, attempting to discern what it is. It doesn't take long to recognize the ring as a common ring of protection +1.
You all head through the Northwestern door back in the circular room and emerge into a hall. At the end of this hall stand three closed doors. A wooden one straight to the west, a wooden door to the north, and an engraved stone door to the south.
"Wow, never seen me a magic ring before." Garroth said wide-eyed, looking at the thing with covetous eyes and obvious admiration. "So..." He continued, the slightest hint of hesitation in his voice. "...Since I found it and all, and I'm supposed to get my face beat in instead of you guys, obviously I get to use it right? Seems fair."
Romboldt raises and brow curiously at the identification of the ring. Indeed it seemed this place could be worth the effort afterall, if this was a mere taste of what could come. At Garroths proposal the wolf chuckles and nods: "Sounds fair enough to me. I call first dibs on archery equipment though." He grins before tapping his maw with a finger ponderously. "Hmm... so.. eeny meeny miny... this one?" He points to the door nearest the one they just came from, offering a shrug at the obviously random pick.
Romboldt, you all actually found 4 +1 arrows in the rooming with the skeletons.
The stone door has been heavily carved with runes and pictures.
These are clearly runes referencing the plane of water.
The door is thick and heavy and appears to be locked.
"Well if its locked, guess we try another door then." Garroth said and shrugged. "probably a good thing anyway, I mean the plane of water. Could be an ocean behind there!" He laughed, although he seemed serious about the possibility.
With noone else doing anything, Garroth made for the next door over.
Garroth moves across the hall and opens the opposite door. It is a little stuck, but easily opened regardless. As soon as he has the door open, there is a slight clicking sound and then an arrow shoots out of a hole in the wall and right into Garroth's arm, dealing him 4 damage!
Despite the old arrow trap, the room appears to be empty, though it sure smells awful in there. Judging by the old mildew caked bed rolls and refuse about, it seems this was at one point some sort of living quarters.
"Son of a goblin, that smarts!" Garroth cried out as the arrow thunked into his bicep. Grunting and cursing he snapped the fletching off, before pushing the rest of the arrow through to the other side. "I hate arrows! Thats really gonna sting in the morning...actually, scratch that, its stinging right now!"
Pulling out his shield, Garroth set his ioun torch to orbit his head, then drew his sword and slowly edged through the door.
Romboldt reaches out with a hand for Garroths shoulder as he approaches the next door. "You're barely standing, take it easy. At least let me check for traps before you march on, hm?"
Ali follows after Romboldt glancing worriedly at Garroth.
Entering the room, it appears just as it had from the doorway; full of a whole lotta nothing. Just some old bed rolls and ratty blankets, bits of trash and refuse in the corners.
Aliatris pops inside the room, to her mind, it is not a whole lot of nothing but instead "Oooooooo hidden shineys?" With that she begins searching, scouring the room for anything that catches her eye.
Ali nonchalantly wanders about the room, moving aside things here and there, lifting up a blanket or two. Under one of these blankets, she finds a very ratty looking bag, that appears to be made of coarse hemp or the like. It is rather dirty. But I suppose it is exciting in that its the only thing you found.
OI!