Robin takes the backpack, and finds a variety of potions scrolls and wands. But seeing as he has no way to identify the magical or alchemical properties, he needs Spyridon for most of it.
The party divides it up and moves into the cave.
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Spyridon identifies the items, pulling out a piece of paper and his pen, marking down a full inventory against Eddie's side as they begin to move.
"If you keep an eye out for a few moments, I'd like to study these scrolls, in case they need to be used. Just a few minutes should do."
Without permission, Spyridon stops and uses the various light sources to become familiar with the scrolls, 'hmm'ing and 'oh'ing to himself as he does.
The narrow tunnel twists and turns for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a wider passage. A large hole spans the cave's width and stretches 10 feet down the path. At the bottom lies a small bundle of cloth.
Vala will be able to tell quickly this is a spiked pit trap that has intentionally been left exposed.
At this point, it is a hole in the ground. There's nothing to disable....
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Spyridon approaches the hole and looks down carefully.
"Looks like some poor fool already fell in," he shakes his head and steps away from the pit.
"It seems that Eddie is going no further. As for me, as much as I believe that man and elf should simply breath sometimes, I do prefer to do it from my given-from-birth orifices."
Turning to Eddie, Spyridon starts pulling things from his saddlebags.
"I suppose if any of you would like to take or use his gear... a grappling hook and rope, a nice pick, some canvas, a few empty sacks..."
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Vala starts mumbling off ideas. Audible to others but half talking to herself.
"Climb down. With rope. Held by colleague...(s). Get that pack. Grappling hook up other side... maybe up this side first. To get a look at pack contents before crossing..
Some sort of tree? Board? Across the top?
Fill whole with debris, rubble, rocks... vegetation from outside?
Some of those might take a while...
Could hide Spyridon's stuff in some vegetation outside the cave entrance.. whatever we think least likely to need in here.. not likely to be stolen if hidden.. "
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Agriver pulls out his silk rope and attaches Spyridon's grappling hook. Then spends some time knotting the rope as to make it an easy climb.
"I will go first and ensure it is safe."
Setting the hook, he climbs down.
Once down he calls up for another rope and hook and prepares to do the same process on the other side.
While he waits, he searches around.
Agriver successfully climbs down far enough to reach the tattered cloth. He pulls a decent looking cloak from the rest of the worthless cloth.
Looking across the floor of the spiked pit, Agriver is getting the impression it will be a challenge to navigate to the other side.
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Since Agriver is already down, Robin decides that he'll climb down after him. . Without saying a word, he grabs the cloak, throws it over his shoulders non-nonchalantly, pulls out his own grappling hook and rope, and throws it up trying to get it to sink into something... like the edge.
Once he does that, he'll climb up ( and start looking around on his side. All the while, saying nothing. 'Wonder if anyone has been through this way.'
Is that what Robin is attempting to do?
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He moves carefully through the spikes, but does not grab anything that is not on the ground. He then sets up the rope and climbs up.
Still without saying anything.
Once on the other side, he thinks a moment... "Veli, voi että susi omasi ovat hyppäsi tämän kuopan turvallisesti?"
Robin follows Agriver into the pit. They both manage to get across without stabbing themselves.
Robin is able to hook the otherside, and they climb out. Robin sees humanoid tracks that lead to a long plank just around the corner.
The tunnels continue on, leading deeper beneath the Kortos Mounts until they eventually open into a large cavern. What must have once been beautifully carved reliefs and inscriptions have since weathered heavily, their features dulled and softened to the point that it is hard to distinguish what each once depicted. A wide tunnel exits the cavern on its far side, and blue-burning torches line the passageway’s walls.
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”These murals appears to be around the dead god Aroden and his hopes for humanity. The only ones that are able to be read appear to be… the artist, merchant, shepherd and thief… but these pre-date the version I grew up reading about... Very interesting.”
Agriver gives a thoughtful look at the statues.
”It is no wonder that the goddess has lead me here. Iomodae was Aroden’s favored saint – his followers are now under her banner – myself included. I wonder if this is a precursor to our look to the emerald spire? Aroden was the major Taldan diety during the times of the Azlanti… “
A smile spreads over his face.
”We are fated to walk this path it would seem, and our mantle may be in common.”
The Artist is depicted painting murals on the walls of impressive buildings, associated with Aroden having painted the city of Absalom with beautiful colors so that it might awe all who visited.
The Merchant is depicted weighing and trading coins of different sizes, a reference to the holy text’s proverb that peace brings trade and prosperity to all people.
The Shepherd is depicted herding animals out of a crowded city to the pastures beyond, just as Aroden blessed leaders with the foresight to direct people to the tasks and places that best suit them.
The Thief is depicted stealing a gem from a shop while whispering a prayer, an allusion to a passage saying that larceny—though illegal—is a form of praise, for anything worth stealing is also worthy of praise for its craftsmanship.
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Spyridon, upon entering the room, begins pulling items out of his pockets and pouches - finding a flat area of stone he unstoppers his ink bottle and begins taking notes.
"I'm not sure that such depictions have been seen in such a place," he mutters as he takes notes. "Do you suppose this is a temple of some sort? Lost after his fall or something?"
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"Fair question Yon, but I believe this group has assembled for something quite prophetic. I imagine we have much in common we have yet to discover. The fact that this aligns to the Azlanti time period is a bit of foreshadowing I think."
Agriver's eyes go distant and he tries to focus on his surroundings.
"We should move on, standing here talking in a cavern will only cause our voices to carry and alert aggressors to our presence."
Looking over a the party rogue.
"Are you ready lady Vala?"
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"I thought at Spanky would be writin' down all the stuff. We were supposed to do sumfin, too, right?"
Robin pulls out his pen and paper, and writes down...
Robin report:
Into Kortos Mounts.
attacked by snakes. Paladin useful there. Killed ‘emTrailblazing slowed by undergrowth. Made to caves, but Vala got tired. When at cave, attacked by bull-man… probably a minotaur.
In caves, found pit. Bad trap, could easily see. Spikes at bottom, and some sorta cloak. Spanky hasn’t told us what it is.
Remember to ask Spanky about cloak.Found cave drawings. ancient, about Aroden. Isn’t he dead?
Artist paints
Merchant trades coins
Shepard herds
Thief steals.Wow… insightful.
"Hey, Spanky! What does this cloak do? You know about stuff... is it anything special?"
As the group moves through the southern passage...
The soft light of the surrounding fungus mixes with the flickering glow of the nearby torches to reveal a grand chamber. A large pool of water along the chamber’s southern edge reflects the blue and green radiance to illuminate the massive stalactites that cling to the ceiling overhead. Two other tunnels branch off from this area, leading to the east and west.
Rising up from the pool is a column of rock with steeply sloped sides and a flat top, as if someone had sawn off the top of a massive stalagmite. A miniature city carved from this same stone occupies nearly the entire surface. Tiny trinkets such as ancient coins, polished semiprecious stones, and ornately braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama, and pale cave frogs clamber atop it. The smooth cavern floor is covered in gravel and pebbles along the edge of the pool, and several foot-long centipedes prowl among the gravel in their search for prey.
Spyridon will recognize the city as a miniature Absalom, easily identifiable by its Starstone Cathedral. Kneeling in the water is a lone gillman with his back turned to you.
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Robin stops as he sees the gillman. He puts his hand up, signalling all to stop. He then points to the edge of the water on the left, and then to Vala. He points to the other side of the water, and himself. He makes sure that the others have understood his signals, readies his halberd, and moves towards the direction he indicated for himself.
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Spyridon begins packing away his notes after he's sufficiently recorded what was visible. He goes to a few of the ones too faded to see, brushing his fingertips against them before turning away in frustration.
"I wonder how much has already been lost in this place."
He approaches Robin, taking the cloak in his hands for a moment, humming to himself as he begins detecting magic.
"A cloak to boost one's resistances. Perhaps it would serve your or myself the most."
As they move into the next room, Spyridon's eyes lock on the model of Absalom, which he begins gesturing to, his eyes wide in excitement.
Vala and Robin sneak up on the unaware unarmed gillman with weapons drawn.
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"Wait - he does not have darkness in his heart, we should communicate and determine intent. Do not harm him unless he shows aggression."
Agriver clears his throat and brings attention to himself. (not Robin and Vala)
"Greetings gillman, I seek an audience. You no doubt heard us in the other room... do you agree to speak with me?"
No reaction.
Sniffing the air, Rbuod smells out the frogs and scoops one up as he passes, but the slime it's covered in makes him spit it out with a sneeze.
Agriver and Yon move up to the edge of the pond. Despite the light and speaking, the gilman does not appear to react.
You get the impression he is in a deep meditative state.
Robin steps in closer, trying to determine what the reaction is. If there is still no reaction, he will tap the gillman on the shoulder with his halberd.
As Robin touches his shoulder, the gilman jumps away suddenly very startled. You can see on his face he is worried about 4 humanoids, teo armed, and a wolf suddenly appearing all around him.