Strevlik’s first arrow seems to hit the thing lurking up in the alcove, although it makes no sound to indicate it is injured or in pain. The second arrow ricochets off the head of the statue.
Boland runs over to where Brashen and Da'gret lie unconscious on the floor arriving next to Brashen first. "Wake up!" he shouts giving Brashen a rough shake. Assuming this produces results, he'll run to Da'gret and do the same thing.
Holding out the torch he also calls to Andolphas "Here, take the torch!"
Upon being roughly shaken by Boland, Brashen’s eye’s blearily open.
Something again shifts in the darkness behind the statue, and the always timid Boland is suddenly set upon by a feeling of deeper fear that threatens to overwhelm him.
Something again shifts in the darkness behind the statue, and the always timid Boland is suddenly set upon by a feeling of deeper fear that threatens to overwhelm him.
Boland fights to overcome the intense feeling of fear threatening to overwhelm him.
Boland fights to overcome the intense feeling of fear threatening to overwhelm him.
... and manages to do so.
Counting on the effectiveness of his sanctuary spell, Andolphas tightens his grip on his spear and moves closer to the alcove behind the statue, hoping to get a better look at the creature within.
Counting on the effectiveness of his sanctuary spell, Andolphas tightens his grip on his spear and moves closer to the alcove behind the statue, hoping to get a better look at the creature within.
You step around to the side of the statue and look up into the shadows, spending a moment to let your eyes adjust to the darkness.
You see, seemingly floating in midair without support behind the statue’s head, a pair of disembodies eyeballs, joined by a thick string of what looks like twisted tendon or muscle, which hangs down in a long strand beneath the eyes, writhing slightly as the gruesome thing floats.
Seeing his friend dozing, Brash will move over to Da'gret and shake him awake, before moving towards the statue. 'What the hells up there Andolphas?'
Seeing his friend dozing, Brash will move over to Da'gret and shake him awake, before moving towards the statue. 'What the hells up there Andolphas?'
Shaking his head to clear it of the final vestiges of the fear effect, Boland moves up behind Brashen, cautiously watching the thing.
"Here" he says, reaching out to touch the warrior's blade, intoning the words of a spell as he does so. "This should give you a better chance to hit it." He then moves to retreat, not wanting to get too close to the gruesome creature.
Seeing his friend dozing, Brash will move over to Da'gret and shake him awake, before moving towards the statue. 'What the hells up there Andolphas?'
Da'gret begins to awaken.
The floating thing turns to look at Andolphas, the string of muscle that hangs down from its eyes twisting and writhing … but it does nothing apparent, possibly due to the cleric’s protective spell.
'What the hells up there Andolphas?'
"I can't describe it," responds the cleric in a murmur. "This thing is like none I have seen, or even heard of before. It's floating in the air... a pair of disembodied eyeballs, joined by a thick string of what looks like twisted tendon or muscle hanging down in a long strand beneath the eyes..."
Strevlik again fires at the floating abomination, but again his arrow bounces off the statue’s head.
Brashen muscles in next to Andolphas, keen to get to grips with the creature lest it cause him to fall unconscious once again. Gripping his axe and shield tightly he swings at it, his angle somewhat hampered by the statue.
Brashen swings his axe at the abomination over the top of the statue. The ensorcelled blade cuts into the thing, chopping off one of its eyes, which rolls down onto the floor at Brashen’s feet. The rest of the thing wriggles and writhes silently in the air for a moment before falling down and landing with a wet ~plop~ behind the statue.
Andolphas steps forward to examine the remains of the thing...
Andolphas steps forward to examine the remains of the thing...
Seeing the thing fall, Boland also creeps forward, keen to take a look alongside Andolphas, discussing his thoughts with the Priest.
Although the creature certainly looks like it could be from some twisted far realm, or the product of a mad wizard’s experimentation, neither Andolphas nor Boland are able to figure out exactly what it is or where it came from.
Andolphas eventually shrugs in resignation. "Strange creature, never heard or seen anything like it," he mutters. "Brashen, Da'gret, are you both alright? No lasting ill effects from the creature's sleep effect? Is everyone still willing to move forward?"
The green gas still fills the other chamber, although it seems to be beginning to thin a little. The only other obvious way is a stone archway at the other end of the passage, opening up into a larger chamber. There is a decided chill in the air in that direction.
Brash spits at the remains of the creature, and shakes his head at the priests question. 'No, I feel fine... though not happy I was put to sleep so easily.' The big man shakes his head again. Lets go, the quicker we find our treasure, the quicker we can get out of this place.'
Beyond the archway at the end of the passage is a large chamber, some forty feet wide by forty feet deep. A wide, dull grey stone pillar reaching from floor to ceiling sits in the middle of the room. Another archway opens up to adjacent chambers on each of the side walls. There appears to be some sort of dark stain on the floor, stretching between the archway on the right hand side and the central pillar.
Beyond the archway at the end of the passage is a large chamber, some forty feet wide by forty feet deep. A wide, dull grey stone pillar reaching from floor to ceiling sits in the middle of the room. Another archway opens up to adjacent chambers on each of the side walls. There appears to be some sort of dark stain on the floor, stretching between the archway on the right hand side and the central pillar.
Andolphas takes a closer look at the dark stain, making sure he doesn't touch it.
Brash will also study the stain, and the rest of the room.
Brash will also study the stain, and the rest of the room.
Boland follows Brashen and Andolphas nervously, wondering what new dangers or traps might lurk in the large chamber. Gazing out over the room, he tries to spot anything of note, and determine the source of the cool in the air.
Upon entering the room, the chill is even more noticeable, although Boland cannot figure what the cause may be. It is not a cold breeze (though these is some air movement), just the air itself feels cold.
Andolphas takes a look at the stain. There appears to be a thick, dark brown mold covering the floor, stretching from the archway to the central pillar. On that face of the pillar is a deep recession that ends in what looks like a fountain basin about four feet off the ground. The mold fills the basin and grows down the side of the pillar, onto the floor. Andolphas feels even colder as he draws towards this part of the room.
Boland and Brashen take a more general look around the room. On the opposite side of the square pillar, facing the other archway, a rounded column of a different coloured stone protrudes from the face of the pillar, with a narrow gap on either side of it.
The side of the pillar that faces away from the entrance to this chamber holds a dry fountain featuring a low stone basin on the floor and a wall spigot about 8 feet high.
Andolphas takes a look at the stain. There appears to be a thick, dark brown mold covering the floor, stretching from the archway to the central pillar. On that face of the pillar is a deep recession that ends in what looks like a fountain basin about four feet off the ground. The mold fills the basin and grows down the side of the pillar, onto the floor. Andolphas feels even colder as he draws towards this part of the room.
"Strange, there is no draft, but it feels as though there's a cold pocket hovering around here... but why here, and what could be causing it? I like not this mold-like growth... Da'gret, Strevlik, take a look... what do you make of it? I take it you are better versed in matters involving vegetation than I am... assuming it's natural, of course... Might be wise to hold one's breath when near it..." Andolphas continues to look closely at the mold without touching it, and holds his breath.
"Strange, there is no draft, but it feels as though there's a cold pocket hovering around here... but why here, and what could be causing it? I like not this mold-like growth... Da'gret, Strevlik, take a look... what do you make of it? I take it you are better versed in matters involving vegetation than I am... assuming it's natural, of course... Might be wise to hold one's breath when near it..." Andolphas continues to look closely at the mold without touching it, and holds his breath.
"I don't have much of a knoweldge of nature, but it seems like the mold might be emitting the cold in the room.
Looking at the other features of the room, he suggests "I think we should give the room a thorough search, though I would like to study this mold first and make sure it poses no danger to us."
Boland starts thinking about the mold, and the cold. Something occurs to him. He looks up in time to see Andolphas stepping forward to get a closer look at the mold, and yells out “Stop!”
Boland:
Extreme cold (particularly magical cold) destroys a brown mold infestation.
At the mage’s warning Andolphas pulls up, but he has already begun to draw close to the patch of mold. He feels the heat being drawn from the front of his body, and he begins shivering uncontrollably, but manages to pull back from the patch of mold before any permanent damage is done.
At the mage’s warning Andolphas pulls up, but he has already begun to draw close to the patch of mold. He feels the heat being drawn from the front of his body, and he begins shivering uncontrollably, but manages to pull back from the patch of mold before any permanent damage is done.
"Ahhh!!! It feels as th-th-though the mold s-su-s-ucked the h-h-heat from-mmm-m m-my b-b-body... b-by the G-g-g-r-een Lady, I'm so c-c-c-old..." The cleric withdraws to the entrance to the chamber and falls to his knees while wrapping his cloak tighter around himself...
"Ahhh!!! It feels as th-th-though the mold s-su-s-ucked the h-h-heat from-mmm-m m-my b-b-body... b-by the G-g-g-r-een Lady, I'm so c-c-c-old..." The cleric withdraws to the entrance to the chamber and falls to his knees while wrapping his cloak tighter around himself...
"Andolphas, wait!" Boland shouts suddenly, reaching to help pull the priest back from the edge of the mold.
"I've read about this type of thing," he explains as Andolphas works to warm his frozen body. "The mold survives by sucking the heat out of the air, or more particularly, any warm objects, such as living bodies, torches etc. The more heat it draws, the more it grows; often at a deadly rate."
He studies the mold for a touch longer, from a safe distance. "I believe the cold kills it; in particular magical cold." He looks around the group "unfortunately I don't have any such magic currently in my repertoire, though given some time to rest and study I could do."
Based on the location where Andolphas began to feel the intense, damaging cold, it appears safe to approach no closer than about 5 feet to the mold patch.
Without getting rid of the mold or risking the cold then, it should be safe to search all but about a fifth of the large chamber, and three faces of the wide pillar. One would need to cross over the mold to reach the archway on the right side of the room, though the left archway is clear.
'So lets just avoid it for now then. Can it move?'
'So lets just avoid it for now then. Can it move?'
"Not as far as I understand. Though if it gets a good feed it graws at a rate as if it were moving, so be careful to stay well back while we search."
Brash joins the search, being sure to keep his distance from the mould.
Working together to search the room (whilst the others hold the torch and supervise), Boland and Brashen uncover a small concealed catch in one face of the central pillar, similar to the palm sized panels that the band supposes calls the arcane elevators back to these lower levels.
Taking another look around the room Brash will try to work out where an elevator may open up/come from in the room.
Unless the curved stone column protruding from the side of the square pillar is another one of the elevators … you’re not sure.
Taking another look around the room Brash will try to work out where an elevator may open up/come from in the room.
"Should we try it?" he asks Brash hesitantly when they discover the catch. "If it is a lift, it might lead down further!" he reasons excitedly.
Looking at the pillar, Boland tries to determine if the lift would lead up or down; if indeed this is a lift. He also looks around again for any engravings, pictures of the like that might provide further clue.
Looking at the pillar, Boland tries to determine if the lift would lead up or down; if indeed this is a lift. He also looks around again for any engravings, pictures of the like that might provide further clue.
Difficult to determine, on all counts; there are no clues provided that Boland can see, and no engravings or the like evident.