As Tarvinda watches Xeros pass her, she moves back and shuts the strong wooden door behind her. She stops and lays a hand on the deep gashes that still bleed, stemming the flow of blood.
Xeros lets the burnt tatters of his cloak float to the ground, "Wait....Where's Arpad? Damn it." Noticing the bleeding he whistles a drinking tune and a healing energy washes over the small group.
Let's Continue on.
"Well I have 2 vials of oil left, followed by 4 torches. Do any of you have anything that might help againist these swarms?"
Tarvinda brings out a parchment from her pocket, "Here, Sir Dramott gave me this before we left. He said it might help." She hands Xeros a parchment entitled, Natural Hazards of Kassen's Crypt (Draft). Other than the title, there is little else apart from headings, but reading through thee largely illegible writings, Xeros manages to decipher something on bats and bat swarms.
Normally the docile bats found in the crypt, can become a deadly foe. It happened when we disturbed the bats in their home roosting. Although we were unable to disperse the flock with simple magic and weapons, we were able to use some flasks of fire and magiks that were able to clear an area. Unfortunately unable to disperse all the bats, we had to wait until evening time when the bats naturally left the crypt through their secret fissures in the mountain and foray for food. Sgt Gramer who was severely bitten, wouldn't stop bleeding until we were able to administer potions and poultices to stem the blood. Hogwat, had to concentrate very hard to cast his magiks, when in the grip of the mass of bats. Be warned.
The only thins I think we can do is wait for the bats to leave.
"That seems like the best idea, now let's figure out what the time is...."
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Xeros proffers patience to wait several hours before proceeding. Carefully Xeros opens the door and looks into the chamber with the pool. He turns back, "The bats are gone from here, we should be safe to continue on."
Arphad a little apprehensively, asks "Do I have to come through, that pool fills me with dread what I might see." He looks at both Etna and Xeros with despair and fear in his eyes.
"The pool likely reflects an illusion of what you fear of yourself, and is not real."
Xeros takes out some of his blessed wine and offers some to Arphad, "Take a drink my friend it will calm your nerves, just put that pool out of your head."
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Arphad takes a drink of ale from the mug offered by Xeros. With renewed vigor, despite his apprehension, he follows you through past the pool. His eyes wander and gaze into the pool, his knuckles tense and look white, but the drink seems to have made the difference and you all pass by and into the next chamber. Arphad's relief is palpable.
As Xeros and Etna move into the gloom of the next chamber, both are as silent as possible, this is after all where the bats suddenly appeared from. All is silent, Xeros beckons the rest of the party on. You continue through this large vaulted chamber, with fissures in the ceiling. Some traumatic event must have happened here to break the bedrock above this underground chamber so. You exit into a small passageway, in single file as you move on further into the complex. Through a doorway, left open on its hinges, you stop before you enter and see.....
The vaulted ceiling of a vast chamber which shows significant signs of damage, with numerous cracks along its surface. In the center of the room, a 10-foot-wide bridge crosses a deep chasm. On the other side, a pair of stone statues watch over the end of the bridge in front of a set of grand brass double doors. The statues depict villagers holding shields and spears, illuminated by a soft glowing fungus that clings to the top fissures in the ceiling.
Map on entering chamber 21 from chamber 20.
"I think we are very close to the bottom of the Crypt."
Xeros slowly steps into the room surveying for traps with a blunt arrow loaded in his longbow ready for those statues to move. "Caydens rusted mug, I better not have to ride those two statues like the other one hehe."
Tarvinda joins Xeros at the front as the two of them enter slowly into the room. Her longsword ready, she follows Xeros' lead and looks out for any traps that might have been set. She turns back to let Arphad and Etna know that Xeros is being careful as he suspects a trap or something here.
The tiefling moves a little closer and examines the flagstones closer, holding up his right hand to halt the group.
"What is it?"
she asks as Xeros examines the stone
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Xeros is able to discern that the flagstones are rigged to respond to the pressure of someone walking over them, there seem to be grooves or runners going back to the statues. There is no 'safe' path across the bridge, as the trapped floor extends from one side of the bridge to the other. As he continues to analyse the floor, the trap extends even further, beyond to the flagstones to the other side.
Xeros looks to Etna, "My dear would you assist me in disarming this trap, just to be safe." He holsters his bow and pulls out his thieves tools. And with the assistance from his fellow tiefling, he begins to work on the trap.
"I'll give you a hand with that."
"I'll give you a hand with that."
[dice=Disable_trap]1d20+10
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Tarvinda looks on as Etna and Xeros set to work, they manage to place small rocks and rubble under the edge of the flagstones, stopping them from being triggered. One by one the party carefully cross the bridge, all the time watching the statue, ready to react if they made any movement. But the statues are still and stay where they are as silent sentinels protecting the bridge.
Before you a large double door of brass bars your way forward. Two large knobs protrude out, from the ornate patterned door.
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Tarvinda turns the brass door knob and the wide brass doors swing open on silent hinges to reveal a vast crypt. The only light emanates from a torch mounted above the crypt, flickering with a pale golden fire. Tall pillars march across the chamber, ending at a dais on the far side, on
which is set a large stone sarcophagus. A single form rests beside the coffin, that of a comely woman in tattered clothing. She appears to be asleep or unconscious.
As Tarvinda and Xeros enters the chamber, a dry, mirthless laugh can be heard from the dark recesses of the tomb. "So, Kassen’s heroes have come to fight me again. You will make fine minions in my army of the dead. Come and meet your fate." With that, a wicked-looking skeleton strides into view wearing polished mail and brandishing a cruel sword in
both hands. A cold blue flame burns in its empty eye sockets.
Tarvinda
Arphad
Arpad, on his turn, drinks his mutagen (If it's available,) moving to the bottom of the stairs (E12 unless already taken, otherwise as close as possible to that).
On Xeros's turn he will launch a blunt arrow at one of the approaching skeletons.