Buckling himself in, Sharlavaka hoped the landing went smoothly. Unlike mammals lizards didn't vomit from nauseua, so a rough trip could be even more miserable.
"Mineral composition is consistent with what we know of Golarion scientifically, and dating places the structure on a similar timeline. Analysis of what can be made out of the ruin's architecture is consistent with what we know of the dwarves of that era as well. In short- Yes, I think I'm fairly confident we've located what we came out here for. Though I will allow for a 4% change of error to allow for the unlikely event my readings are incorrect."
Vera manages the rough mountain landing, though not without some difficulty. In the end, Sharlavaka is very glad to unbuckle and get his feet back on solid land.
Drift physics was a very surreal thing; how this mass of land maintained a bubble of air was very difficult to explain, and yet, it was as if you'd landed planetside. Even the ambient temperature seemed correct for a Pact Worlds system, despite the lack of a warming sun. The one element that was missing was light; instead of a day or night sky, the eerie purple haze of the Drift comprised the backdrop.
You manage to hike down to the massive doors of the Dwarven fortress, though it takes some time and care. On the doors is a set of ring-shaped knockers about 1 foot in diameter.
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Sharlavaka looked at the oversized knocker and moved up to swing it. Given its size it was possible he was the only one who could do so.
Sharlavaka has little difficulty moving the metal; it seems surprisingly light, for its size, though quite possibly it would feel heavier to one weaker than he.
After a minute of waiting, however, the knocking remains unanswered.
Sharlavaka stepped back, looking for a bigger knocker. Since there didn't seem to be one he looked for an alternative means of entry. Either a panel to summon someone or simply opening them himself, if they weren't sealed,
Culture
Esh remembers something about ancient Dwarven gates tending to have riddles or tricks of some sort in order to allow entry. In this case, the only features visible are the door knockers, so they must have something to do with whatever is required for entry.
Isis tries knocking both knockers at once. She's thinking even if someone hears this we'll still get in despite losing surprise.
If that doesn't work she knocks both together thrice.
After knocking one followed by the other, Isis (and everyone else) hears a musical note, followed by a slightly higher note. When she does both three times together, it does nothing.
Esh sighs, pinching his nose as exasperation seeps into and becomes his very being. "Damnable dwarves.Vesk, how powerful is your gun?"
Sharlavaka's head turned slowly towards Eshenvral. "Sharlavaka." Turning his head back to the door, he tilted his head towards the door. Besides, his laser probably wouldn't carve through an armoured door.
Knocking one more, he waited until the two tones had played, then knocked again to perhaps finish a pattern. Or perhaps swinging the knocker with different strengths would play different tones.
Sharlavaka does the first knocker, the second, and the second again, and three tones play, each one higher than the previous.
culture
Isis says "Ah!" and walks up to the knockers. She repeats Sharlavaka's low-higher-higher still pattern, then adds two lower (which come out as the same tone), another high, and another low. Slowly the doors begin to open.
She explains that the tones played out the opening notes of an ancient Dwarven mystical song about a young man who falls for a faerie lady of the woods, but, try as he might, cannot attain her love.
"How typical of a dwarf, lusting after forest woman they have no hope of bedding"
Staring at Esh for a moment, Sharlavaka began to move inside.
He follows along without delay, pausing only long enough to allow the darkvision capacitors of hid armor overlay to adjust and take in whatever he was seeing. Out of curiosity, he also silently cast a spell and focused on any magical auras in the area.
Isis drew her energy gun and stated at a stage whisper "Let me take point and scout ahead."
OOC: Stealth She moves up to 40' with darkvision to 60' and looks to finish her move action(s) under cover from any foes.
The chamber before you is large, 60' at its widest points, though it tapers in the corners so it's shaped like a thick cross. At the opposite end of the room, there is a dais, a stairs, and another set of double doors leading down a hallway. This set hangs slightly ajar.
There are no lights in this chamber, and no motion to make you think it is occupied. If Dwarves yet dwell in this citadel, they have long withdrawn from this entrance.
Turning on his night vision systems, Sharlavaka moved ahead, heading to check out the dais.
Isis moves up and surreptitiously peeks thru the double doors. Perception with darkvision 60' and low light, and Stealth
OOC: Do we all have darkvision or its technologic equivalent? I don't know what anyone without is doing for light.
OOC: Yeah pretty sure we all do have Darkvision. (It's not in my stat bar, but I do)
Isis moves up and surreptitiously peeks thru the double doors. Perception 1d20+8 with darkvision 60' and low light, and Stealth 1d20+16
Isis sees a hallway that appears partially caved in after about 50'.
OOC: Do we all have darkvision or its technologic equivalent? I don't know what anyone without is doing for light.
Isis moves up and surreptitiously peeks thru the double doors. Perception 1d20+8 with darkvision 60' and low light, and Stealth 1d20+16Isis sees a hallway that appears partially caved in after about 50'.
Isis stage whispers what she sees.
OOC: Next, noting Sharlavaka's interest in the dais, Isis goes to check it out with him. Perception ; Sharlavaka, might you Aid Another?
"Appreciated. Eshenvral deadpans at normal volume, in response to Isis's whisper.
The GM Allows.
The Dais itself seems to serve little purpose except to accentuate the import of the complex. Having thoroughly examined the room, you feel it safe to move on.
To do so, however, you are going to have to deal with the collapsed section, either trying to squeeze through or some other method of passage.
Isis said in her lilting voice "I'm pretty nimble. I'd expect no trouble wriggling thru, but that just takes care of me. Maybe I should scout ahead of the blockage and cover you'all while you take as long as you need to squeeze thru." (i.e. "take 20")
Isis, in deed, manages to wiggle through. She stumbles over difficult terrain that seems oddly smooth rather than jagged rocks common from a cave-in.
The android reaches a hallway where she can see right and left, or into a larger room straight ahead. The large room seems to be dominated by a large column of what appears to be solidified magma.
Isis set her comm on conference call and tersely alerted her comrades. "The way is clear. Come on through."
Esh casts a small spell nonverbally, and his voice instead comes dirrectly into Isis' mind dirrectly instead of her communicator. It's very much possible he's trying to annoy her on purpose. ' I'll just walk in right through the door then.'
Crossing his arms, he looks at the others beside him. "The path is blocked, but the other side is clear. Seems we have a conundrum."
Shalavaka looked at the pile and attempted to move some rubble first before he tried to move his much larger bulk through.
Esh, Quinn, and Irina are able to squeeze through as Isis did, with varying degrees of difficulty.
Sharlavaka will need to make a check. Acrobatics is the closest relevant skill he has.
Despite moving several large rocks out of the way, the Vesk gets stuck partway through, and it takes you all a couple minutes to help him work his way free.
Sharlavaka attempted to squeeze through.
Rando, your map is tiny. I don't know if that's intentional.
"That was a lot easier than I expected." she says on the other side, which is probably because she's as small if not smaller than Isis.
"That was a lot easier than I expected." she says on the other side, which is probably because she's as small if not smaller than Isis.
OOC: Isis isn't particularly petite, she's limber.
Gorn Steelbreaker
Zelda Marie Lupescu