When Mouser finally appears to view and Tam's spell has worn off, the halfling is smiling broadly. And hugging Tam.
"That spell is AMAZING!!! I can't wait to try it again!"
As they continue their exploration, he says "So this looks like some kind of shrine for the dwarves--I don't think they wanted that spider lady desecrating it."
Tam pats Mouser on the back and says, "I knew you'd make great use of it. I plan for that to be a regular part of the repertoire. Along with nondetection later, in case we run into things that can see the invisible."
Puzzling over the disks, he says, "What order were Torag's sons born in?"
While Tamxander puzzles out the method for entrance, Mouser is able to disable the branding trap, at least making it safe to try different things.
"Now e can push on. Ingrahild can you tell me what you know about your Ancestor?" Derrik asks.
"You disabled the trap? Ok." Balmir steps up to the disc and tries to turn it. He touches each of the symbols, looking for a reaction.
Balmir grumbles. "I'm trying all of the orders. Maybe you want to do this instead?" He glares over his shoulder at the halfling then continues to press on the disc.
"Now now, we are all a bit testy it is hot down here and there are only 3 of you who are used to the millions of pounds of stone over their heads." Derrik says
Ingrahild stammers a little looking at what is going on. "Maybe... maybe being a decendant will help. Torag's sons being mentioned could mean you need family?"
She moves to help Balmir, gesturing to her brother to do the same.
"Humph."
Balmir continues to try pressing random symbols. He moves over when Ingrahild and her brother join him.
Nothing so far seems to make a difference. Perhaps the symbols are a clue?
"Oldest to youngest?" Derrik says "Touch all three at the same time? 3 Dwarves could do it."
"Which one of these is strength?" Balmir waits for someone to point it out and then he leans into that symbol, pushing with all his might.
While Balmir pushes Ingrahild repeats the names of the dwaves over and over to herself trying to puzzle it out. If the door does not push open she moves closer to the stone still repeating the names as kind of a verbal tick,
"We have three dwararves here. Maybe if we each take a position of one of the sons?"
She whispers the names a few more times contemplating before choosing Kols and pressing and that rune.
"Umlo, your Loyalty, Balmir clearly strength"
"Clearly," he replies with a grump and grunt as he pushes on the disc. "It doesn't seem to be doing anything."
In one of the attempts, as Ingrahild occasionally is whispering the names, you manage to whisper the name of the dwarf that matches the symbol as you press it, and it begins to glow. Following that lead, you manage to get all three to glow at once, and the heavy disk cracks open and moves aside.
The tightly spaced pillars that line the walls of this wide chamber gracefully suspend a vaulted ceiling; walls, ceiling, and pillars alike have been cut from the surrounding stone. Centuries of dust coat every surface, and the air is stale. A large translucent panel is set in the center of the floor. On either side, a stone door sits inside a low arch.
Derrik renews his light spell on his shield for those who cannot see well in the dark.
"Balmir lead on I will take the rear." Derriks nods to his companion
"There. It's about time." Balmir shrugs and shakes the dirt off of his hands. He offers a quick glare at the stone that was blocking their way then proceeds into the room. He pulls out Agrimmosh and keeps himself ready for any attacks. Walking up to the edge of the translucent panel, he tries to look down into it.
"I have no idea what worked. Three dwarves? You guys would be screwed without us, hey Umlo?"
Somer fall into the back of the group bow ready.
"I think it was the names but maybe being a dwarf helped. Hard to say."
He looks at the others and is ready to move on.
This room is dark, but Derrik lights the way. The floor panel is a thick sheet of glass (hardness 1, hp 5, break DC 18). Set directly above Nargrym’s sepulcher (area A9), it allows visitors to view the giantslayer’s sarcophagus and pay respects without entering the sepulcher. The glass is 5 inches thick, and can easily support the weight of the PCs. Over the centuries the glass has turned a translucent yellow with grime and dust, but with a little effort the glass can be cleaned enough to
provide a view into area A9 below. The sarcophagus has been opened and its lid pushed to the side, offering a glimpse of its occupant: a crumpled corpse dressed in a suit of scale mail armor. While the view is centered on Nargrym’s sarcophagus, Mouseer also notices a large, broken cage in an alcove off to the side.
"That is nice looking armor." Derrik says touching it. "What do you think it is made of?"
It is hard to tell from here, but something about it looks quite odd...
Balmir eagerly helps rub the dirt and grime from the glass. It is almost overwhelming to the dwarf. For so long he has been driven by revenge for his family. Nargrym has been the stuff of legends -- the stories he grew up with. Getting help from Nargrym, the original giant killer himself, is more than he could have ever hoped for.
As the glass clears, Balmir gets a glimpse of the sarcophagus he blood begins to boil. Someone has opened it. Someone has desecrated the body. A low grumbling roar starts in his throat.
"How did that get open? Who did that?"
The glass floor doe snot inspire Somer with confidence despite its thickness. He moves to the north, staying off of the floor and looks down, casting prestidigitation multiple times to clear as much as needed.
"Umol, Ingrahild, it might not be a good sign that the sarcophagi is open. Balmir that makes me as angry as it does you. Lets find a way down. At best its grave robbers, at worst.... well lets hope its not anything more necromatic."
He points to the north door before listening at it.
You don't see an easy way through the glass, but with doors to explore, you assume there must be a way down there.
The door to the north appears quiet and safe from traps. You open the door and take a look.
Huge stone panels line the walls of this chamber, each depicting a carved scene, but all of the panels have been damaged or defaced in some way. Hundreds of footprints crisscross the dusty floor. Two doors exit the room to the south (one of which you used).
Somer looks to see if it is footprints of hundreds or people or the same set hundreds of times.
It appears that all of the footprints are the same.
"Can you tell us more about your ancestor? Who was he exactly? A Famed Giant killer we know but why was there a cage down here with him?" Derrik asks while moving the light around the room. "Tam and Somer can you add more light to this room?"
Somer moves to Derrik, touching his helmet and casting light. He looks at the defaced pillars for a moment and shrugs. Once the dwarves give any answer as to their ancestors he simply moves towards the next door with Mouser.
"Keep moving?"
Derrik looks at Somer shaking his head, the light moves in erratic patterns as he does. 'Not exactly what I mean at all, now if someone shots at me my head is a dead give away." Derrik move to the glass trying to Illuminate the whole room.
"Well, your face is less a loss then Balmir's I think." he says with a smirk before switching the light to his own bow and holding it up.
"What are you saying about my face?" Balmir growls at Somer. He looks over the defaced panels. "Someone is going to pay," he mumbles under his breath and squeezes the haft of the magical hammer so that his knuckles turn white.
"My Beard isn't as magnificent as yours is Balmir is what he is saying." Derrik hopes the light on his head hides his smile.
The cage makes no sense to any of you, but there is only so much history you know. However, this room seems to pay tribute to Nargrym’s life and deeds, carved as images into the stone wall panels. The images primarily commemorate Nargrym’s battles, but the final panel depicts his tragic betrayal and murder. Umlo vaguely recalls a story about another dwarf who betrayed the great Giant Killer.... the name was Lokmorr, he believes.
The eyes in every single image seem to be chiseled out. An engraved bronze plaque above each panel identifies the illustrated deeds with Dwarven titles, such as “The Slaying of Drogmalak the Terrible” and “Victory at Hrothbad’s Mines.” The final plaque is covered in dried fecal matter, rendering the title illegible.
Mouser moves ahead to check the next room.
Four statues of idealized dwarves stand against the walls of this chamber, next to stone fonts. A dusty film covers the fonts, and their basins are inscribed with Dwarven runes. A massive stone panel on the room’s eastern wall bears a bas-relief likeness of dwarven warrior garbed in a suit of scale male and wielding an oversized spear. The carved figure is unadorned with the exception of its right hand, which is leafed with silver.
Not thinking he will find anything Somer still casts detect magic and checks out the basins, just to be sure.
"It seems your relative really was a larger then life hero. Your family has clearly been blessed by the gods."
He moves to the south side of the room, waiting for mouser.
Balmir's scowl deepens as he sees how the panels have been defaced. He feels in awe to be in Nargrym's tomb. Entering the statue chamber, Balmir is immediately drawn to the carving on the eastern wall. He approaches slowly. "A mighty warrior," he says under his breath and reaches reverently to touch the etched figure. He looks more closing at the silvered hand.
"We can clean that off later, must be someoen else alive in here. Maybe someone that woman and her spiders captured." Derrik says following Somer
Balmir notes that the runes in the basins of the fonts are
traditional dwarven blessings.
Nothing is magical, and nothing seems of particular interest from a stone/appraisal perspective.
Mouser, however, does discover a secret door, slightly ajar.
Seeing Mouser stop at the cracked door Somer nocks and arrow and moves across the room from the opening, ready to fire if needed. I will never admit it but tombs make me jumpy. Clearly the living should not be here.
"What is it you see there Mouser?" Derrik asks when he bumps into those in front of him.
Derrik smiles "Or a way in that someone doesn't wants us coming through." Motioning for Mouser to lead on.
"Well, we should go in there. Maybe we'll find whoever has been vandalizing this place. I'd like that."