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"We should be able to cross by stepping between the tiles, but it won't be easy. What we need is to create a traverse. If we can get someone across, tie a rope to something, also tie it this end, the rest of us can cross without touching the tiles."
"Alternatively, if we spread our weight, it might not set off the tiles. But that's very risky."
"I'll go across," Lysander says, sliding the arrow back into his quiver and putting his bow on over his shoulder. "Just give me the rope."
Bleyz crosses with Lysander to help him set up a rope traverse on the other side, using the 3" spaces between tiles to place his feet when stepping down.
Lysander and Bleyz make it across without too much trouble. The door at the other end of the room is locked.
However by going back and getting the key in the previous door your able to get it open.
Using a rope you get everyone across to the next room.
This is a simple 30 by 20 room with two large stone tablets. One to the west that contains a long list of names and at the top it says "Lost Heroes" and another to the east that has a long story written at the top is says "The rise and fall of the Whispering Tyrant".
There doesn't seem to be any other door out of this room.
The wizard-king Tar-Baphon was killed by Aroden on the Isle of Terror in 896 AR.
In 3203 AR, he was somehow able to use the power of the Whispering Way to return as a lich.
He sought to attract the attention of Aroden, and to gain his revenge, but Aroden did not take up his challenge. Styling himself the Whispering Tyrant, Tar-Baphon united the orcs of Belkzen under his rule and conquered Ustalav.
In 3754 AR, Taldor sought to oust the Whispering Tyrant, giving rise to the drawn out conflict that became known as the Shining Crusade. The forces of Taldor were aided by the dwarven kingdom of Kraggodan and the Knights of Ozem.
In 3801 AR , the crusaders finally established a beachhead in the Ustalavic town of Vellumis, and began the slow and brutal process of advancing to the Tyrant’s capital of Gallowspire.
In 3818 AR the Knights of Ozem summoned Arazni, the Herald of Aroden, to aid them in the war. However, in 3823 AR the Tyrant killed Arazni.
At last, in 3827 AR, the crusaders reached Gallowspire. The Taldan general, Arnisant, fought the Tyrant and using the artifact known as the Shield of Aroden was able to withstand the lich’s magic. When the shield eventually shattered, it burned the lich with holy fire, weakening the Tyrant enough that the crusaders were able to imprison him beneath Gallowspire. The province of Lastwall was established to watch over the Tyrant’s prison.
Erik quietly reads the tablets and then carefully searches for any signs someone else had been here recently.
The dust is thick here and there is no sign anyone has been here in a very long time.
"Why was this room guarded by a trap if it contains nothing but these tablets?" Erik wonders out loud.
"I don't know... the information in the tablets doesn't seem worth such protections, does it? How odd..."
Lysander pauses for a moment in the room, looking at the tablets and the statues. Something isn't right... He reads over it all again, wondering about where this would have taken place in relation to where the group is now.
Achren is reading trough the names when he finds Grindbolt Stoneslider. He discovers that this name is actually a button and when he presses on it the wall at the north end of the room slides open.
In the room beyond there is a pedestal in the center and on it is a single left-handed gauntlet. A small label reads "The Grasp of Torag".
Beyond that 2 more tablets are in this room.
One continues the story of the whispering Tyrant and details the ritual that was used to bind him. It also explains that the whispering tyrant can be freed if 3 lesser seals seals and one great seal are broken. The greater seals is on the top level of Gallowspire and is guarded by a sphinx. It also says that one of the lesser seals is kept here, another was given to the Knights of Ozem who created Lastwall and keep is safe there and another was given to the dwarves of Kraggodan who took it home.
The other speaks of an artifact called the index of wisdom.
The artifact is a device that can store divine energy and wisdom is was often used by clerics to store knowledge and magic for later use and to enhance their powers. However at the time of Aroden's death the index absorbed a portion of Aroden's power "The sliver of godhood" it was called. If someone were to use the index now they would gain the abilities of a god but only for a short while, no more than 12 seconds. The index was stored here along with the seal for a time of great need.
Lysander figures you must be near what would be the center of the temple.
updated temple map
"What do you suppose this is?" Erik says, eyeing the gauntlet suspiciously.
The gauntlet radiates magic the likes Devyhn has never seen before, it's glow trough the power of detect magic is like looking directly at the sun. It radiates Transmutation magic at the artifact level he can tell that much but more than that is beyond him.
You can actually knowledge religion this item, I'd allow knowledge history as well.
"I've never heard of this Torag. Sounds dwarvish." Erik mutters.
"Indeed, probably dwarf-make. I know nothing of the piece itself, though."
Devyhn picks up the gauntlet and it feels just like any other gauntlet. Nothing happens.
"We ought probably to find out more about it before we try using it."
"None from me. Too bad we don't have a dwarf among our number."
Looking around the room there doesn't seem to be anything else here.
"If this gauntlet is the index the tablets speak of then it could hold terrible power. Can we trust the wizard? What do we really know of him?"
"I don't care how positive his energy is; no mortal should be trusted with the power of a god." says Erik gruffly.
"And what of the stone masks? We've seen no sign of them here."
"I don't think so Devyhn. There's no sign anyone else was here." Erik says thoughtfully.
"There was a whole warren of tunnels below us with the kobolds. Perhaps the stone masks headed there?"
"Well, we should press on and find the item we were sent for... I still think it's possible the gauntlet might aid us in our quest if we try to use it. We shouldn't be afraid of everything we find."
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"You are welcome to try on the gauntlet, if you wish," Devyhn replies. "The amount of power emanating from it is incredible, and each of the gods have their own notions about who is worthy to wield such power. I will not stop anyone from attempting to use it. For myself, I would like to learn more about its purpose before I make the attempt, myself."
"Well, without the services of an arcanist to identify the properties, the only way we're gonna learn more about it is to try it. For all we know, it was left there for a purpose, and our goals and its might coincide. So sure, I'll try it on."
He holds out his hand to take the glove if it's offered.
Bleyz takes the gauntlet and puts it on his left hand. Immediately he feels the magic of the gauntlet surging thought him and his hand curls up into a fist.
Then the gauntlet turns into stone and Bleyz begins to fell excruciating pain as his hand turns to stone as well. The transformation slowly makes it ways up Bley's arm and you begin to fear that his whole body will follow but the transformation stops at his elbow. His entire forearm turned to stone Bleyz cannot reopen his hand and it is trapped into a fist.
"Green--!" Lysander shouts, starting backward as Bleyz's arm is turned to stone. "Bleyz..."
"Well, that's different... and quite painful if you must know... I... I can't seem to open my hand... but my other hand is unaffected... I wonder what this might do when I hit someone with it... I suspect it might do some significant damage. I guess it's a good thing I can fight effectively without weapons... though I can still wield one in my other hand."
"hmmmm... Now that the initial pain has passed... I feel... fortified, stronger, and the fist, it seems lends me powers I did not have before... the ability to meld with stone, and shape stone, but only once a day each. And I know that the fist has the ability to smash through solid objects, bypassing some hardness." (ie it counts as adamantine) "It may have other properties as well, but perhaps I will learn about them in time. I have no idea how to remove it though. Yet perhaps in the fullness of time, I might learn that as well."
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Devyhn approaches Bleyz and examine his petrified arm. Having witnessed the magic of the gauntlet take effect, he hopes to make a more informed analysis of its function.
"You feel confident that these are the powers conferred by the gauntlet. Are you confident that you will be able to remove it when you tire of having a boulder for a hand?"
"Actually, I'm glad I did it now that the painful transformation is over. I feel good... fortified somehow... Perhaps Torag is favoring us, and for that I'm thankful. If Torag's favor is somehow necessary to complete our task, and I hadn't done this, we might not succeed. You never know unless you try. All things happen for a reason, including the finding of the gauntlet... I just felt like this was something we needed to do. No one else seemed inclined, so I volunteered. We shall find out more, I'm sure, in the fullness of time. Shall we go on?"
Erik observes the magic carefully and thinks back to his training in Irrisen.