The sun is setting in the distance past the trees.
"We should get inside and start searching. I don't want to be outside if those wolves come back with the rest of their pack. Hopefully we'll also find a safe, dry place to camp for the night.
With any luck, we'll be able to set off for the river at first light with all the ingredients, and with help from Mary, we'll be back in town by tomorrow afternoon."
"But before I get too ahead of myself, let's see what awaits inside. Keep behind me, everyone, but stay close."
With his weapons in hand, Corindus pushes the double doors open with the butt of his hatchet.
Kinshara casts a Light orison as she follows behind Corindus.
Darion casts detect magic and follows closely behind Kinshara and Corindus
Mr Summers follows the group in
"Just hope this place isn't haunted...."
Beyond the double doors is a small dark hall.
Littered with mounds of debris and a year’s
worth of dead leaves, it is clear that a narrow
path winds inside.
Darion briefly looks around and after spying nothing of to much interest through his sight or detect magic he announces ”Perhaps we should make camp let’s explore a little further for a formidable camp site and keep an eye out for the mushrooms as we go. Let’s explore say another hour or two then get some shuteye”
"Hopefully it won't take that long," Kinshara states. "Let's continue on."
Corindus holsters his hatchet and fishes a long, thin torch from his pack, as well as a set of flint and steel.
After four strikes, he gets the torch lit and holds it aloft.
"Hopefully this will help light our way," he smirks at his own non-joke, stepping inside and scanning the hallway.
"No shortage of doors to try," Corindus says in a hushed tone.
The flickering shadows cast by his torch leave him suddenly imagining any number of things that could be lurking inside the ruins.
"May as well start here," he whispers, gravitating towards the door to his right and opening it carefully with his cutlass-wielding hand.
The travel and time of day must be getting to him cause Darion sees nothing. Since he sees nothing he decides to cast detect magic in an effort to be somewhat useful
Kinshara follows her companions close behind, keeping an eye out for threats.
With a loud crack, the door finally gives way and opens,
shattering an ancient wooden chair propped against it on the other side.
The room beyond is dark and smells deeply of dust and decay.
"Uff," Corindus grunts, wishing he had a free hand to shield his nose from the smell.
He steps inside and holds out his torch to discover the source of the stench.
"What did you find?" Kinshara asks, peering inside the doorway from the hall.
Tucked into the belt of the long-dead dwarf is a silver light hammer with a religious symbol carved into the head.
”I don’t suppose you see any evidence of the mushrooms”
"No mushrooms, but we've found one of the former residents of this place. Long dead, but he kept one of his treasures close. A silver hammer with some kind of symbol.
"I know little of religion, and even less of the faiths from beneath the mountains. Anyone else fancy themselves a theologian and want to have a look while I check the next room?"
Corindus sheathes his cutlass to pick up the hammer. He offers it to whomever wants to examine the old relic.
He then crosses the entrance hall, redrawing his blade, and opens the opposite door.
Darion casts detect magic and and carefully peers into the same room as Corindus
"Let me look at that," Kinshara states, taking the hammer from Corindus.
This small chamber was used to store the
traveling cloaks, coats, and hats of visitors to
the monastery. Now only a few moth-eaten
rags hang on the pegs and a single soiled
hat rests on the table.
And you find one ironbloom Mushroom.
Corindus plucks the mushroom and wraps it in some cheesecloth before securing it in his pack.
"We've made some progress," he quietly announces while stepping back out into the hall.
"Only one mushroom, but it's a start. Those doors are hanging open," he points with his cutlass to the double doors straight ahead. "What do you make of that?"
Corindus bends down to examine the dust lining the hallway intersection in front of the doors, looking for clues to recent activity within these ruins.
Unfortunately, it seems that the party's arrival has disturbed the dust too much to leave much trace of anyone (or anything) else.
Unable to determine much about the light hammer, Kinshara hands it back to Corindus.
"The way forward is all we can ask for. Steel your hearts and the Inheritor will guide us."
After rummaging around searching for magical things. Darion will follow towards the open doors
No magic
Corindus steps inside and holds his torch aloft to light the larger room.
He also tightens the hold on his cutlass as he scans the room for danger.
Darion pokes his head in towards the room Corindus is looking in and casts detect magic there too. Hoping to see or sense something
Pews of darkwood lie tipped over and covered in dust on either side of this ancient shrine.
At the far end sits a large ceremonial anvil, but its surface is defaced and ruined.
Seeing the altar, Kinshara moves up to take a closer look. What kind of shrine was this?
Corindus scans the edges of the room and the pedestal bearing the altar, looking for spots that might likely foster mushrooms.
"If this was indeed a dwarven monastery, this was likely the center of life here. Of course, who knows how long ago that was?"
”Any mushrooms in there Corindus? If not then let’s keep moving this room creeps me out for some reason”
Darion does his best not to let anyone else see the shrill go up and down his back causing him to be on edge
Corindus wrinkles his nose against the rising dust as he plumbs the room, searching for the ironblooms.
Kinshara attempts to search about the room as well, following behind Corindus.
Darion attempts to detect magic in the room Kinshara and Corindus are looking in as he pops his head in for a look
You find no mushrooms.
you feel as though your being watched from the shadows.
"No ironblooms. Let's return to the hall. This shrine is very unwelcoming. It feels like we're being watched."
Involuntarily emphasizing his point, a shivering spasm shakes his shoulders and races down his spine.
However, Corindus backs away without turning his eyes from the room, lest the dusty shadows themselves come alive to seize him.
Kinshara holds her light higher to get a better view as she backs out of the room with sword in hand. "Let's search the rooms to the left," she states. "We don't need to disturb this area further."
Kinshara you saw something move near the back wall, but with the shadows it is hard to tell.
Corindus creeps down the hall, keeping close to the wall, until he reaches the open door.
He does not enter immediately, but he thrusts his torch inside to illuminate the room as he performs a cursory look for mushrooms or danger.
Kinshara follows closely behind Corindus although she keeps checking over her shoulder, worried about the shadows.