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The quill is clearly part of the statue, but the whip is real, and of exceedingly impressive make.
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"Dibs!" Odric bellows.
"Just kidding Gaius" the massive warrior jokes. "As long as you don't ... well at least don't describe what you're going to do with it.
Odric chambers up and grabs the whip, and prepares to heave it free of the state's grasp...
"Dibs!" Odric bellows.
"Just kidding Gaius" the massive warrior jokes. "As long as you don't ... well at least don't describe what you're going to do with it.Odric chambers up and grabs the whip, and prepares to heave it free of the state's grasp...
The ranger quickly moves around the statue in position to flank with Odric. He positions his dog to be able to flank with the rogue.
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And without any fanfare, the whip comes free.
Whilst Odric handles the whip, he feels a bit of paranoia, but it soon passes.
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Odric hands the thing to Gaius.
The statue depicts a half-snake, half-human creature with the lower body of a serpent coiled about a stand and the upper torso of a slender human woman.
what is this creature? Lamia, naga, something else?
Her hands are crossed over her chest to clutch two objects at her shoulders—the right hand holds a large quill, while the left holds a jade-handled whip.
Detect Magic.
A line of jade runes runs down the statue’s belly and along the length of its snaky lower body.
Huh? You mean runes carved/molded into the statue and inlaid with jade??
It is a likeness of Lissala. Lissala was introduced to Thassilon more than 11,000 years ago by the First King Xin. She taught the philosophy of the seven virtues of rule, guidelines which promised rewards for both rulers and their subjects if her teachings were strictly followed. These were eventually perverted into the seven mortal sins by the runelords. She also outlined the workings of fate to her followers. Lissala also seems to have been, if not the source, then one of the major teachers of the art of rune magic, through which the rulers of Thassilon erected their mighty works and controlled the populace.
The whip is a +2 Axiomatic Whip
Yes, the runes are inlaid, and simply list the 7 virtues of rulership.
Sandor hopefully gets to listen to Morkelb's teachings on the statue, and then patiently waits at the next door. When we're ready to open it he does.
Thousand-Bones: " . . . Once there, supposedly a many tentacled beast guards the inner parts of the sanctum, but no one knows what kind of beast. Rumor says only that you must bring blades to fight your way through."
As a near-victim of drowning and terrible aquatic beasties, DeGrog's thoughts wander to Thousand-Bones' words as he gazes across the previously sloshy pool whilst his companions investigate further chambers of doom . . .
Morkeleb peers intently at the statue and the runes inlaid into it. Gentlemen, meet Lissala, a figure from Thassilonian religion.
Lissala was introduced to Thassilon more than 11,000 years ago by the First King Xin. She taught the philosophy of the seven virtues of rule, guidelines which promised rewards for both rulers and their subjects if her teachings were strictly followed. These were eventually perverted into the seven mortal sins by the runelords. She also outlined the workings of fate to her followers. Lissala also seems to have been, if not the source, then one of the major teachers of the art of rune magic, through which the rulers of Thassilon erected their mighty works and controlled the populace.
DeGrog, hearing talk in the other room, tears his gaze from the pool, and joins the party - crossbow still in hand. The ManOrc listens to Morkeleb's words, eyes the statue and takes on an uncharacteristically thoughtful expression.
This may be for wiser folk to ask, but if these runelords went against yon Goddess' teachings, what is her statue doing in 'ere? Maybe she's trapped here, or they just wanted to rub salt in the wound . . .
Who's to say that this place was built by the runelords? It could predate them, perhaps from the time of the First King. It could have been built by a secret sect of some kind that still venerated her original teachings. This place is ancient, as is Lissala. I don't think we'll find those answers here.
Morkeleb, can you read those runes?
Morkeleb, can you read those runes?
Yes. They are the 7 virtues of rulership Lissala taught.
Which are?
Wealth, fertility, honest pride, abundance, eager striving, righteous anger, and well-deserved rest. The Runelords later perverted these, and instead held to greed, lust, boastful pride, gluttony, envy, wrath, and sloth.
Can Sandor get any guess at age of the stone this was built from?
Let's go with OLD
We will do the door where Sandor is standing/guarding.
Odric lines up on the other edge of the door with his incredible blade naked and gleaming with deadly perfection.
Sandor looks up from knocking a burr on his axe blade off on one of these old walls. Surprised that everyone is looking at him he gives a little shocked look, and opens the door.
Sandor opens the door to another small room like the one keeping the assassins. This one, however, is completely devoid of assassins...
Grym moves up to the next door and listens
Perception
Nothing.
Gaius gives it a check then Thorgrym will open it.
This corridor ends abruptly, choked off by thousands of tons of collapsed rock and sand. There is a double door on the other side...
Odric stands back while the rogue checks the door, then (assuming its all clear) tries the handle.
I guess we work our way around the room counter clockwise checking everything till we find something. If we find nothing we go down the magic portal. I trust you to roll my perceptions if needed.
single door to the left of where we came in (H 7)?
DeGrog votes for checking all rooms on the level
single door to the left of where we came in (H 7)?
This one.
The ranger will listen and then open it after it passes Gaius's trapspotting.
The door opens to another one of the narrow passageways.
As you pass through the main room to get here, the water roils and bubbles with some consistency.
Ferox moves past DeGrog into the narrow corridor. He makes his way to the two sets of double doors and listens to the set to the east.
Most of the party went to the NW corner to open and check out the door at H7. Ferox (and perhaps Odric?) are at the eastern double door, where Ferox detects nothing untoward about, or behind, the door.
DeGrog is on EXTREME ALERT about the roiling bubbling water. He quaffs a potion (protection from evil) and moves to a defensive position (N-16) shield up, cutlass out - ready to slice whatever comes his way - or dive into the portal.
Mates! Sometin's bads is comin', I can feel it in me bones. Take cover!
Second, the subject immediately receives another saving throw (if one was allowed to begin with) against any spells or effects that possess or exercise mental control over the creature (including enchantment [charm] effects and enchantment [compulsion] effects, such as charm person, command, and dominate person). This saving throw is made with a +2 morale bonus, using the same DC as the original effect. If successful, such effects are suppressed for the duration of this spell. The effects resume when the duration of this spell expires. While under the effects of this spell, the target is immune to any new attempts to possess or exercise mental control over the target. This spell does not expel a controlling life force (such as a ghost or spellcaster using magic jar), but it does prevent them from controlling the target. This second effect only functions against spells and effects created by evil creatures or objects, subject to GM discretion.
Third, the spell prevents bodily contact by evil summoned creatures. This causes the natural weapon attacks of such creatures to fail and the creatures to recoil if such attacks require touching the warded creature. Summoned creatures that are not evil are immune to this effect. The protection against contact by summoned creatures ends if the warded creature makes an attack against or tries to force the barrier against the blocked creature. Spell Resistance can allow a creature to overcome this protection and touch the warded creature.
The door opens to another one of the narrow passageways.
We check the door at the end of this short hallway. Grym will open it after the Calistrian Rogue trapspots it. Bucho is right with his master ready for action.
Mates! Sometin's bads is comin', I can feel it in me bones. Take cover!
Keep an eye on it. We have a few more rooms to check. Sound out and we will come running to help.
I moved the alphabet so DeGrog can be moved normally.
The curved northern alcove of this chamber displays a brilliantly colored bas-relief carving of an alluring mermaid. The figure lounges upon a bed of stone seaweed while the cunning sculpt creates the illusion that her luxurious tresses of long hair float around her body in swirling rings. Tiny shards of gemstones embedded in her tail make it appear as though her scales glisten with moisture.
Odric peeks to see if he can see any of her naughty bits.
Not any naughty bits, but the gemstones are plentiful, and time has worn down the grout keeping them in place.
Yoink. "Gaius, do those seem almost *too* easy to snatch?" (Ooc- speaking of naughty bits hehe)
Detect Magic toward the carving
Gaius goes to assist Odric on the gem picking, but first gives the mermaid a thorough pat-down. And tries to not enjoy himself too much.
Gaius detects no traps, and goes about one of his trades. Between them, they recover 25 gemstones. Morkeleb appraises them at about 125 Gp each.
We now go to the double doors that Ferox is watching.
Grym will open it after Gaius's trapspots.
Gaius is always trapspotting. He moves to the Double doors.
And declares them safe.
The walls of this chamber are decorated with six life-sized bas-relief
carvings that depict a diverse collection of priests, each adorned in billowing robes draped in Thassilonian runes. An intricate scripture winds around each carving, coiling around them and along the walls like an immensely long tangle of ribbons.
Hmmmm...I'm not fluent in Thassilonian, but...
Morkeleb peers at the scripture, ready to use a Comprehend Languages scroll if any tid-bits he can glean seem to warrant it.
The text is reasonably dense, but the spell helps Morkeleb out. It's full of all manner of arcane lore, and it it will take time to process it. The first bits though are extremely interesting. You think you can get the theme of it after about 5 minutes....