"Hmmm....I don't think I'll be able to put this one to sleep, but I can try to knock it down. Or help someone wriggle free if the creature grabs one of you."
"Shall we?...."
"Maybe if we can get you this map from Kaeviel's bags you could use the incantations where he failed?" Rheed asks the sorcerer.
"Did he leave it with the bags?" he asks the dwarf, "or was he carrying it on the way out?"
"It's been so long, and everything was pretty hectic after the creature attacked us, I really don't remember. I am guessing he left it behind: he only seemed interested in getting the gem. And it seemed as if he was angry about having left something behind. Possibly the map?"
"Well, I guess the rest of us can go in and distract the creature while Ceer looks for the scroll that might shut it down for good," the druid offers, not seeing a better solution at the moment.
"Good idea Mo'butu. Maybe Ku'ada can create a distraction too. Maybe something that looks like a wall that the creature can't see through. That might gives us a little extra time until it figures out that it isn't real."
"Any other ideas?"
Ku'ada thinks for a moment, "Your illusion idea has some merit... however, I do think that if the construct has been trapped down here for so long, it may notice a new wall popping up. Together you and I could create the illusion of a cave-in, but it will most probably find out soon enough the veracity of such a illusion. Hm... perhaps I could give it some prey to chase after, to lead it away and buy us some time?"
"Just tell me what needs doing and I'll do it. Deciding we needed a plan was the extent of my planning skills."
She grins and steps forward, obviously eager to act.
"Perhaps Ceer can also use the potion of invisibility we found earlier... hopefully that should allow him to find and decipher the map without much trouble, but to be honest I'm not too familiar with constructs, would that be effective?"
"Your prey idea sounds okay to me, Ku'ada...let's get started..."
Looking to Rheed, "Actually, that is a great idea. I think that simple invisibility might work, though it would still be able to hear you, if such things can hear. Perhaps though, you should be the one to imbibe, and sneak out. Then Ceer and I can create a diversion at the same time, to give you more leeway."
"I forgot about the potion! Great idea!"
"Let's get started..."
The group travels through three more short hallways connecting three additional rooms. The second room has hallways branching off to either side, but Dardin explains before you go that the room you're looking for is straight ahead, and as far as he knows, everything else has been looted, and all of the traps disabled. Indeed, the first two rooms contain nothing but empty shelves, alcoves, and a few pillars, and you discover several tiles covered with powder marking their location which, on further inspection, you discover are indeed triggers for traps.
In the final room you discover just what Dardin described: a large, dried-up fountain dominates the center of the floor. The top of the fountain is decorated with another statue of the elven woman holding out her hands in a fashion which suggests something once flowed from them- however, you see no obvious place for liquid to emerge from the statue. The walls of this room are completely decorated with ancient murals and carvings depicting Bersathon and his fiery deeds.
Behind the statue, in the center of the back wall, you see that a large section of the wall has lowered down into the floor like a reversed portcullis, revealing a stairway descending to another room. The staircase descends about 30 feet forward and 20 feet downward, and the room below seems to be lit by a faint red glow.
Mo'butu and Bwenge advanced wtih the group down the path Dardin described to them. They check the rooms between them and their target, even though they were informed the rooms had been looted of any possible valuables.
Perception
Know. Nature
Ku'ada follows behind with Ceer. Eyes darting to and fro, nervous about breaching the sanctity of his people's ancient temple.
Ceer grips his crossbow tightly as he creeps along with the group. He looks at the murals with interest.
Perception:
Information/weaknesses about the construct that Dardin described?
Knowledge (arcana):
Also, I cast Detect Magic in the rooms that we pass through.
As they approach the red glow Ceer quaffs one of his potions and reads one of his scrolls...
"So the plan is for me to go in with this," Rheed holds the potion of invisibility, "and bring the map back for Ceer to try to disable the construct?"
Ku'ada shrugs, "Such as it is. I will help to provide a distraction..."
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Ceer: This construct is too old and obscure for you to know of any specific weaknesses without observing it, but you do know that generally constructs are immune to things which affect health/fortitude as well as the mind, do not need to eat, drink, or sleep, can see in the dark, and can often be repaired by exposure to a certain type of effect (though they do not heal normally).
Rheed: Some of the carvings and murals here would be quite valuable if you could find a way to remove the stones they've been carved into. Unfortunately such a feat seems unlikely without a great deal of caution and preparation. The fountain and statue appear as if they once had many gems set into them, but the gems have long-since been looted.
Both Ceer and Rheed hear metallic scraping noises coming from the room below. They get slightly louder, as if something is moving closer, and then stop. Something is moving around further inside the room below, and you think it knows you are here.
Ceer puts a finger to his lips as he looks around at his comrades.
"I think it heard us....", he whispers.
"I will craft my illusion running down the stairs... is everyone ready?" Ku'ada asks in a whisper as he tenses, preparing to form his illusion.
Mo'butu straps on his shield and grabs his scimitar, knowing he would have to help hold the monster off while the others attempted to shut it off.
"Ready," the former mercenary whispers, quietly uncorking the potion in his hand.
Nodding at his companions, Ku'ada steps up and...
A halfling matching Kaeviel's description dashes out from in front of Ku'ada and down the stairs. He hesitates at the bottom of the stairs, looking about.
Ceer moves over behind one of the pillars. He points his crossbow towards the stairs.
Rheed drinks the potion and then follows the illusion into the room to look around for the discarded bags and map.
Rheed follows the illusion down to the bottom of the stairs and peers into the room- it is a long chamber lit by the glow of several torches mounted on pillars, which burn low with unnaturally red fire. At the far end of the chamber, a set of stairs leads up to a large platform where Rheed can see what look like the legs and feet of several destroyed statues.
To the left, almost hidden in the shadowy corner of the room behind a pillar, a large, black form lurks. It seems to be made of metal, but it absorbs rather than reflects the light which settles upon it, making it difficult to see. It is a large scorpion creature, and if Rheed had not known it was down here scuttling about a moment before, he would think that it was no longer functioning. It seems to be waiting. Rheed remembers that Dardin said they left their bags and things somewhere along the right-hand wall.
Feeling better?
Feeling better?
"Psst..Ku'ada...what about that spell that creates torch light?"
Rheed shudders slightly at the sight of the terrible creature, its ominous countenance giving him plenty of motivation to get the map back to Ceer as quickly as possible. After waiting for the illusion to move into the room, he moves carefully, but purposefully, around the right side of the room—keeping his distance from the dark-metal construct.
The figure appears as if it thinks it is unseen, and creeps further into the room, as far as Ku'ada can see.
Ku'ada looks at Ceer, surprised crossing his face, and then understanding. He hisses back, "Hm? Oh, right, you're human... I'm a little busy here..."
"Right! Don't mind me!", Ceer whispers.
The moment the illusion steps into the long chamber, the scorpion-creature springs into action, lashing out with its tail at the false halfling. Rheed takes the opportunity to duck quickly into the room and to the right, hoping that the creature will not notice him.
After its attack passes through the figment without affecting it, the creature seems to ignore the "halfling" - however, it is now partially blocking the entrance into the chamber. It seems to be waiting for other signs of movement...
Rheed moves along the far wall quietly and finds a couple of packs which seem to have been left behind a pillar. The larger pack has a huge hole in it, and several days worth of trail rations have been strewn across the floor. Rheed sees a rolled up piece of parchment sticking out of an outer pocket in the smaller of the two packs. It seems to be covered in diagrams and elven runes.
The scorpion does not seem to notice Rheed.
Rheed carefully takes the parchment from the pack and tucks it under his jacket before quickly searching through the rest of the smaller pack for other notes which might relate to the diagrams on the map.
Once convinced he has everything Ceer will need to disable the construct, the failed pathfinder draws his dagger and tosses it to clatter as far away from the entrance as he can,, and starts to sneak back to the party after giving the scorpion-like guardian chance to react to the sound.
Rheed doesn't find any other similar-looking parchments or other notes in the bag. He does however find a larger-scale map with the locations of various ruins in the area, and pockets that.
His dagger seems to distract the construct long enough for him to slip by, but the creature is not fooled for long and quickly moves back to its hiding place in the corner.
Rheed barely makes it back to the steps before the creature walks over him, but he still seems to have remained unnoticed. The rest of you aren't certain what has happened until the invisible Rheed whispers to Ceer "I got it" and presses the paper lightly against his arm.
Ceer takes the parchment from Rheed and unfolds it. He squints at the writing, trying to make it out in the dim light.
Ku'ada abandons his illusion, as its utility has passed. In consideration for Ceer, he casts a dancing light, and dims it as much as possible, to allow Ceer to read, but to avoid alerting the construct below.
"Thanks Ku'ada", Ceer whispers as he continues to try to make out the writing on the parchment.
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One side of the parchment contains a map of the temple detailing the locations of various traps. The other side is covered in elven writing. However, it does not appear to be a magical scroll of any kind.
Anyone who speaks Elvish can see that the writing contains instructions for entering the final chamber of the temple, and command phrases to activate and deactivate the "Beast of Bersathon."
Activation phrase: "The Lord of Fire commands you, Beast: burn his enemies and give his soul strength."
Deactivation phrase: "The Lord's blazing wrath is quenched. Be still, Beast, and await the call of Fire." Further writing suggests that the phrases are more potent when the speaker possesses the Nishati'moto.