Loxley leans in a little closer trying to look into the holes.
”Yeda, could you hold you’re sword a little higher?”
She asked politely, careful not to get too close to the box. She listens a little more attentively as she does so. Trying to get a better idea of what could be inside it.
"I can't read it, but maybe I can open it by working on the lock with my tools."
Tamm retrieves his tools and tries to work on the box the hard way.
Sazzat you actually pry off the wheels and trigger the mechanisms, and the box pops open and you see a badger who looks around and raccoon, it doesn't seem immediately hostile.
Zeldana couldn't stop the "Awwww." The calm from her lips. "Corrin, you are a druid no? Can you help them?" She asked.
Yeda gives a confused, quizzical look.
I mean... they're harmless. What did the demonic creature want with these? A small sacrifice to activate the box somehow? Or something the box is linked to?
She scratches the back of her head with the end of her sword handle, letting it hang down behind her back.
There is only a raccoon, originally I thought it was a badger. My bad guys, I thought I had deleted it.
"Hey little buddy...." Tamm says to the raccoon as he crouches down and extends a piece of jerky towards the animal.
"Of course!"
He handed one of his goodberries to Sazzat Tamm.
"Raccoons are Omnivores they like both meats and fruits!"
He offered helpfully.
Tamm takes the berry and offers it to the raccoon.
"Poor little thing." Zeldana said as she gave the raccoon a gentle pat on the head. "I wonder what it is doing down here... and why it was in the box..."
After taking the berry and the jerky from Tamm, the raccoon considers him for a moment and then rushes forward and climbs up onto his shoulder.
"What tha'...." Tamm says in surprise at the little guys advance.
The raccoon proceeds to open Tamm's pack and pilfer through his belongings, apparently searching for more jerky.
"Cut that out, you little Bandit." Tamm tells the raccoon, pulling out another bit of jerky from his pouch and feeding it to the raccoon to get it to stop its thievery.
The raccoon settles down, sitting on Tamm's shoulder, to munch on the jerky.
It's obvious the little keen-eye rodent noticed where the dried meat came from and the pouch will, no-doubt, be its next target.
"I guess he's with me...." Tamm tells the others in the group after they watch the episode.
"No doubt a sticky-fingered rodent is some sort of karmnc reward from the gods..."
The raccoon looks up from cleaning it's paws and chitters in agreement.
After settling the raccoon down, Tamm says to the others.
"I'll see if what I can find scouting further down the tunnel."
He proceeds quietly.
He tilted his head and took a good long look at the racoon whom had decided that Sazzat was an excellent tree to climb and he shook his head.
"Im not sure that racoon's entirely normal."
He said to no one but himself shaking his head.
"This place gets stranger and stranger eh buddy?"
He asked Dewdrop giving the elk a soft pat on the shoulder before putting his war mask in place and slowly following along behind SAzzat Tamm by 20 to 30 feet or so.
Yeda keeps her sword unsheathed, aiming it this way and that to shine it's light in various corners and inspect their immediate surrounds while Tamm and Corrin scout ahead.
Come back quickly and let us know what you find!
Loxley nearly fell on her butt as she stumbled back when the box popped open.
Catching herself she found herself staring at a bandit masked creature in surprise.
”What in the name of the gods?”
She mutters half to herself.
She watches as the creature seems to take a liking to Tamm, and he seems equally taken by it. She nods at Corrin’s comment.
”Hmm. Well, I suppose the gods work in strange ways.”
She bites her thumbnail as they wait for Tamm to return.
Sazzat (and Corrin) do you want to go forward or take the side tunnel to the right
As the group of girls waited for those of a stealthy nature to return and relay information, Zeldana looked over the lid of the box which held the raccoon. "You know, it is odd to see something of this kind so new... I wonder if this was someone's attempt at copying this old language."
Side tunnel to the right.
Watching Sazzat continue down the right tunnel he made a motion for the others to make their way up to his location, so he could behind Sazzat and not loose sight of the others.
Sazzat you sneak ahead to B2 The original purpose of this chamber is unclear, but large mounds of rubble lie strewn on its floor. The wall to the west has been torn down to reveal a tunnel leading to the west (Where you came from) and there is a door to the north
Tamm returns to the others quietly and tells them what he has found.
"Nothing moving in the room up ahead. Let's move the group up and I'll check the door."
Yeda nods and follows Tamm forward.
With backup, Tamm returns to the rubble-filled room.
He quietly sneaks across the room to check the door, looking for traps and listening for danger.
(+1 for traps)
You do not detect any traps on the door, nor do you hear anything behind the door
Once Yeda get Tamm's indicating about the door, she nods and opens it up to proceed.
Loxley rested a hand on Dewdrop’s flank as they waited for a sign from Tamm and Corrin. When they gave the all clear she patted the elk.
”Well then, let’s go fella.”
She stepped carefully as she followed the others into the room. She was quiet as Tamm checked the door. When he gives Yeda the go ahead though she takes a steadying breath and readies herself, notching an arrow.
Zeldana set down the circular lock that had been on the cage and followed after her group with haste. "I can't wait to see what else this place holds!"
Tamm steps to the side, the raccoon still sitting part on his shoulder and part on his pack, to let Yeda open the door.
You open the door and see a hallway, with a couple different ways to go.
He lift up the leather mask and gave miss Zeldana a goofy smile.
"Hopefully more puzzles and less monsters."
He answered with an even bigger grin... before he slid the mask back down his smile turning stony.
"Keep them safe Dewdrop."
He began pointing at Zeldana and Loxley hurrying after Sazzat.
Tamm gestures silently to the others for them to follow and moves carefully down the hallway to the right.
(+1 for traps)
Sneak sneak
Once again Yeda forgets she's wearing armor and has a glowing sword as she follows Tamm.
Loxley took care as she followed along, trying to keep quiet.
"Yes, that is my hope as well." Zeldana told Corrin, even returning a smile his way. "After all I'm far better with my mind than my combat skills." She freely admitted.
When the others began to sneak away again she sighed heavily and pet Dewdrop. "Why is it always sneaking? There is no way I can make it through this place like that... at least not with how I and dressed now..."
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Tamm and the raccoon both turn around with matching exasperated expressions to stare at the clumsy party members tripping over themselves in the hallway behind them.
Then, they start and look at each other as if surprised that they're thinking the same thing...
The tunnel widens here into what appears to have once been a small shrine, for to the northeast, steps lead up to a platform of gray stone. Sitting atop the platform is an ancient altar, little more than a jagged block of black marble with a shallow concavity on top of it. This basin is filled with what appears to be filthy water. There is a set of double doors to the east
Yeda looks to see if there's anything interesting about the shrine. Has it been used lately?
”Father always said one should keep one’s wits even sharper then one’s blade.”
She added to Zeldana and Corrin’s conversation before giving up on trying to be sneaky.
”What?”
Loxley asks Tamm with feigned indignity, fairly certain what the look he and his new furry friend gave them was for. She couldn’t blame them, she knew she was the sneakiest creature in the world.
Loxley reaches out to give the raccoon and absentminded pat as she gives the area a cursory glance. Moving towards the raised altar, this she approaches more carefully. Her eyes take in any details she notices as her memory searches to match anything she can remember.
Tamm scans for danger.
(+1 for traps)
but gets distracted because the raccoon is trying to undo the clasp on his pouch.
"No more jerky now....." he tells the creature as he pushes it back up onto his shoulder.
You do not find anything of notice, Loxley you can tell that it is devoted to Lamashtu
When Loxley reveals who the shrine venerates she becomes visibly disturbed.
Let's move on from this place quickly...
She tries to lead the group through the far passage and into the next area.
"I agree .... this place is nasty."
"Let's go that way." pointing to the direction Yeda is trying to lead the party.
”Lamashtu.”
She says after a moment, a bit of worry and disgust with a tint of academic curiosity.
She bites her lower lip and looks back at the group. Nodding in agreement then looking back at the shrine. She tries to remember what she can for possible usefulness later.
”I’m wishing I had had the resources to ready a few scrolls before this.”
Loxley sighs as she falls in beside Zeldana, her hand fiddling with the hilt of her dueling sword.
Zeldana gave a smile to Loxley when she returned. "So, what was up that way?" She asked.
My bad, there is also a door to the southwest. I don't know how I didn't move the block or post it. If that changes plans let me know, if not I'll post tomorrow.
Yeda motions at Tamm to check the next door for traps (as if it's all but obvious).
"Time to follow along again..."
He mentioned to Dewdrop
He paused tilting his head at the strange pool. He nodded to it
"whats that?"
He asked still scanning behind them every so often to make sure they werent somehow being flanked.
South East my bad, I thought I had it blocked