Everyone manages to get down with little problem.
Moving toward the large stone door you see, once again, seven thumb-sized sockets are embedded in the door, arranged in a ring around a starburst design.
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Tamarie aids the others in climbing down, going last.
"Silly me, forgetting to step back and getting bitten by that.. Thing. Thank you for your healing magic, my brother. And that of the Lady on Fire, my friend. Now, let's try and find that @@@ that we are here to find."
She seems a bit shocked that she herself cursed, but tries to hide it from the rest.
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"You think those stones need to go in there, Jirani? Olik? I might try, being the nimblest of all of us, if you think that is the correct way to go."
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Jirani takes one last look at the door before the group makes their way back to town.
"During our recuperation, we should count the variety of stones that we found, in case they correspond with the sockets in the door."
green emerald (from first goblins)
orange gem (eyes from Hexopopoketl, Demon lord of Muffins and Regret)
blue lapis lazuli (from shade)
red gems (from last statue with the melted head)
We would need three more. Other colors, presumably.
Purple? Maybe one hiding among the purple mist?
Yellow crystals?, that we didn't try to collect?
Black? Maybe chip from the black blocks in the floor of the purple mist room?
What other colors might there be?
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The short walk back to gives Oliks muscles a chance to start tightening and complaining. "Uh, feels like I've been wrestling a linnorm." he complains good naturedly. "I'm sure a taste of the local brew will bring the Lucky Drunks smile set things right. If not I'll seek Gorums blessing come morning." he jokes with a wink as the party heads towards the inn.
Later after a good meal and a few rounds he sits and discusses the mystery of the door with Jirani.
"I agree, these must be at the root of it. So there are seven sockets and we've found four stones. As you say we may have found a fifth. I also recall Tam kicking something in the mists as she left the room. We should have another look there though there was something foul about that place so we'll need to be careful. As for the seventh...well it would seem we'll need to look about some more."
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In the morning Olik awoke and for the first few blissful breaths felt fine. Then he made the mistake of trying to move. His mind was immediately assaulted by complaints from every muscle in his body. Sore from head to toe it felt as if he'd spent three days pulling the oar of a dragonship during a storm. Slowly he rose and dressed, wincing at each movement. Seeing the look on Tamaries face he quipped, "Must be getting old." His laughter made his ribs hurt.
After getting a bit to eat he collected up some of the weapons gathered during their adventure, the most prominent among them being the small blade found in the statue, and traveled to the temple of Gorum.
Once there he looked over his weapons and armor, giving those with him a moment to do the same, and then pushed through the door with more gusto than he actually felt. Working hard to keep his shoulders high and back straight he strode up to the altar once again. Noticing some of the blades tithed in the past now among those piled around it or hanging from the walls he felt a spike of pride. "Battlelord again we return victorious!" he called out to the massive iron statue. "See the blades of our foes taken from dead hand and brought here that they may decorate your alter or be wielded by stronger hands!" With that he spilled all the weapons he'd brought, with the exception of the short sword, at the foot of the altar without even looking at them. "We have faced the might of the goblin tribe and brought them to ruin. See now the prize won through righteous battle and claimed in your honor!" With that he slammed the sword down upon the alter, the steel rang as it struck iron. It was impossibel to say but it seemed the burning eyes of the statue shone brighter for a moment. Chin high and defiance on his face Olik turned from the statue, barely disguising his failing strength, and strode off the dais.
Near the central battle pit he greeted Eldrast. After speaking with him for a bit the bard said "We seek to go forth once again to do Gorums work but the shades of death have drawn out much of my fighting strength. It returns but slowly and I would have His blessing to speed us on our way."
Olik left the temple-fortress of the Lord in Iron feeling a new man. The Battlelords healing had burned like molten metal but now infused the bard with renewed strength as if armor reforged. He returned to the inn with high spirits and ready to see an end to the mystery of the gate and what lay past it.
Heading back into the runes you find no one to contest your re-entry. The place is quite and Tam reports no signs of fresh tracks other than your own. Standing in frnt of the large door the society sent you to crack it remains closed.
Taking some time, with nothing to rush you now, you all easily manage to climb the rope and get back up to the balcony above.
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As they walk back to the room with the rolling mists Olik hands Batah a scroll. "It's not quite what I wanted but I believe this may help us here. It creates a wall of wind which can be shaped by your focus. My thought is to cast it into the room to disperse the fog and hopefully alow us to see what might be on the ground.."
Standing outside the room, the purple mist still hands to the floor but doesn't expand outside of its borders.
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"Is it possible to cast this windy barrier as a floor, instead of a wall?"
"No? Then we should try to cast a walkway from this doorway to where we estimate the stone has gone. Or a walkway from this doorway to the next one. Yes, that sounds more useful. I can sweep my ranseur along the floor to feel for the stone in the mist, and perhaps pull it into the cleared path. The rest of you should make your way to the other doorway, though, before the spell expires."
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"This close? That would be lucky." He eyes the mist skeptically, then takes off his pack and crouches down. He lays his ranseur on the floor, and sweeps it across the floor of the chamber, careful to stay out of the mist himself, feeling for any obstacles on the floor.
"No, this stupid bug is in the way." He reaches for the carcass and pulls it into the hall, then tries again.
The mists dissipates but starts to slowly reform in the center of the room and spread out. Just out of reach as Jirani noted is a purple gem on the floor.
Olik runs into the room and grabs the gem before turning back to head out as the mist floods over his feet. He stops a moment as if something comes over him but shakes it off and moves out of the room. The previously purple mist now fills the room once again, but is now white rather than purple.
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"Well, there were the yellow crystals, near the stirges... we'll have to go through this unusual mist to get there, but I'd think it's preferable to facing that shade again, especially if this works and we manage to open the door. Let me try to pass through this mist now before you follow."
If no one objects, Jirani will lead the way through the mist.
Jirani steps into the room and the, now white, mist washes over his feet and legs. He pauses a moment as if waiting for an effect but nothing comes as he continues walking across the room.
Batah follows behind the others, as well as Tam although she seems a bit more hesitant than the rest. However, everyone gets across the room with no apparent effect.
Tracking your path back you come to the large open room, with the pillars of stone bridging the gap of water below. Encrusted in the walls of the cavern are numerous yellow crystals. Taking a few moments Olik pries a few of the crystals loose with no issue.