|
Hakaam nods when Kazzzok points out the traps and cautiously approaches the first one.
"Hmm. Arrow traps. Interesting. I am surprised that they all remain armed yet only one has been triggered. Perhaps Desna watches over both our Pathfinder companions and the Dwarven expedition, for whatever devious reason that may be. In any case" he comments as he moves on to the next trap and unfurls a weathered leather roll containing a set of tools "Should I be riddled with arrows, I would be grateful if one of you were to pull me back and tend to my wounds. My wand of curative magic is on my belt."
Hakaam proceeds to methodically disarm the traps in the chamber, his tongue clicking every now and then, his tail reaching towards his leather pouch every now and again to fetch another tool.
|
|
Hakaam bows his head humbly. "Your praise is most welcome, but assuredly, agent Kazzok deserves much of it. His keen eye enabled my actions."
Proceeding to hand off the items thus found, he continues as he moves on across the room towards the other exit. "And I certainly hope you talk in a more... metaphysical sense of the word good Darro. My family... Well. Let me assure you that not being related to me is a small token of serendipity. And in that regard I only speak of the humans relatives; the others being altogether a blight upon the face of creation, if you will allow me the expression."
|
You continue further down the left tunnel and reach another room.
The central feature of this nearly square room is the wide set of shallow stairs that leads upward to a pair of passageways on the eastern side of the room. A row of ancient and splintered desks lies at the top of the stairs, and an empty room is visible beyond.
Each of these wide stone steps is only 4 inches tall. Along the eastern wall, the remains of admini strative desks once dedicated to holding construction records and documentation rot quietly, eaten away by dampness and time.
Kazzok carefully searches for traps at the walls and the floor. He finds five more arrow traps, one empty arrow trap, two Adamantine-Spring-Loaded Arrow traps and two Grapple Bolt traps.
|
|
"I would offer my assistance Agent Odolgun, but I would fear interfering." offers Hakaam, who critically observes the arrows being extricated from their launching mechanisms. "Agent Demonbane, and perhaps both Agent Hennessee and the lovely Zannah can offer counsel. I've considered the use of a bow and arrow of late over the more... Cumbersome crossbow. Such experienced agents as yourselves can hopefully provide my unenlightened mind with a modicum of advice on the matter."
|
"I guess it all depends on what you intend to do and how much training and dedication you expect to extol. Crossbows are easier to handle and learn to use but are slow to fire. Bows are faster to fire but require a dedication to the craft that borders on fanaticism if one is serious. if you plan on just providing some covering fire then stick with the crossbow. Good weapon, good damage. if you plan on being deadly then a bow is the tool for you."
|
|
Hakaam nods as he moves forwards through the now disabled traps, scouting ahead to the best of his ability.
"Very good to know. Thank you for your insight, it is most appreciated. And someone please remind me that agent Peck is with us; for a moment there I foolishly forgot who he was and what he was doing here."
Having moved forward, he looks back, first at his companions, then at the second hall. "It seems agent Zannah that the right hall we neglected leads to this very same room. Interesting. In the meantime, I believe you can move forward. It is safe."
|
|
Kazzok continues to disable the traps, one after the other, and after a few minutes he declares the room safe for passing.
Among the moldering desks is a single divine scroll untouched by age.
The stairs lead up, two narrow passages upstairs lead into a smaller room and around the corner into another room. A few broken chairs complete with moldering cushions line the outer walls of this circular room. Four sconces sit lonely and empty around the room’s perimeter. To the west, a short passage leads to another circular room. The floors of both rooms are unbroken but etched with a geometric pattern that sharply contrasts with the flagstones to the east. Another narrow passage leads to the west.
This room is protected by a magic trap in the middle of the room.
|
|
Hakaam, searching through the ancient desk, begins humming a sea shanty... Poorly. "Hmm, hmm hmm... Hmm? What is this? Interesting. I beg your pardon my friends, but I am unable to decipher what this scroll pertains to. I believe it to be magical, but beyond that, it's purpose is lost to me. Would one of you be so kind as to determine it's use?" he asks, pulling out a roll of unfurled vellum, which he quickly scans again before handing it over. "I might be able to use it if none of you can. I have some meager skill at coaxing magic from the vessel it resides in." he adds, tugging at his face scarf.
Hakaam looks about the room, shrugs and moves on in. "It looks absolutely safe. A welcome change of pace. I will head on and see what lurks ahead."
|
|
Hakaam marches on forward, looking about at the decorations adorning the walls. "Fascinating; Such wonders, lost to time. What a booo... he curses in Abyssal, as the ground escapes from beneath his booted feet. Trusting in his instincts, he jump-flips backwards, landing in a weary crouch. "Perhaps I was too hasty in my judgement. Agent Odolgun, do you see any other traps I have not?
|
|
When the pit opens Haakan somehow manages to grab a hold at the edge of the pit to avoid dropping 50 feet down and being pierced by wooden sticks. Archibald grabs his arm just in time to pull Haakam back before he looses hold.
Behind the pit trap you see a circular room. A three-foot-diameter iron wheel mounted horizontally on a short stone pedestal is the only feature in this large, circular room. Spaced evenly around the pedestal are six hexagonal keyholes, each a slightly different size, and keys protrude from four of these.
This room is an elevator. Operating the elevator is as simple as turning the wheel clockwise to move up or counterclockwise to move down.
|
|
Hakaam bows graciously before Archibald. "Gratitude Agent Peck, I will endeavor to be as cautious as a mouse in the desert." He pauses and looks down into the pit. "Perhaps we should take a moment to search this trap for any clues to the fate of our brethren, or the dwarves. At the very least, maybe I will find a snack down there; speaking of rodents has made me realize how famished I have become." And with that, he uncoils a rope, anchors it and climbs on down to check the bottom of the pit.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hah." exclaims Hakaam after a moment spent looking about the room. "It seems that this entire room is part of a mechanical contraption designed to move the occupants up or down. The platter in a willing servant's palm, ready to lift his offerings up to the tallest master or down to the smallest child. There is no other path, thus perhaps we should ... ride it down."
|
|
Once everybody is in the elevator Hakaam activates the mechanism and the booth goes down, stopping at the first level below the entrance. The exit of the eleveator is blocked by a stone door which can be opened very easily.
Whether due to partial collapse or by intention, the floor of this fifty-foot-square room slopes gently down from the western entryway. A second set of walls creates a smaller space within the room, and cracks riddle the inner chamber's walls, obscuring what might have once been intricate carvings and offering glimpses of the corridor that rings the walls' perimeter.
A variety of tools lie scattered and abandoned about the room, and to the east a few of the heaviest implements are arrayed in a half circle around the base of a highly polished and unused anvil.
During its brief renovation by the faithful of Droskar, this area served as a shrine to the dark god. When it became clear that the hasty modifications to the complex had made it unsafe and unusable, the priests ritually damaged the walls in the shrine and elsewhere to formally decommis sion the construction and abandon it in shame. The tools spread around the anvil are a final homage left to Droskar.
You see strange things happen. Something invisible is repeating the same tasks over and over. One knots and unknots a frayed length of rope, another fills and then empties a bag of caltrops, yet another screws and unscrews a nut and bolt, and the last counts coins while pas sing them from one "hand" to another.
It's unseen servants performing the tasks.
Suddenly you see a lot of glitter filling the air around you.
Archibald
-----
?
-----
Darro
Victoria
-----
Jinkin blue
-----
Hakaam
Kazzok
-----
Jinkin red
-----
Zannah
-----
Jinkin green
?2
|
|
You hear a voice from the corner to the west and suddenly Archibald, Hakaam and Darro start to feel a bit strange. They forget who they are, where they are and who the other guys in the room are.
Archibald seeing (will save vs. confusion required)
-----
Nuglub
-----
Darro (will save vs. glitterdust, will save vs. confusion required)
Victoria
-----
Jinkin blue
-----
Hakaam blinded (will save vs. confusion required)
Kazzok blinded
-----
Jinkin red
-----
Zannah
-----
Jinkin green
?2
|
Victoria realizes she is not blinded herself but just seeing a bunch of motes before her.
"Now where did that little bugger go? No matter. The quicker we go the quicker we leave.
She casts haste on her party members (including wolf).
She then steps back away from the clogged doorway to avoid any future spell affects.