Pausing in front of the plaque Kyras admits I like it. And we've found little of value so far. Its worth something to be sure. Lets take it. We can drop it if it gets too cumbersome. He considers it for a moment, then removes some tools and tries to remove it from the wall.
Kyras does manage to get the plaque off the wall. It is cumbersome and heavy, but since he is able to carry it, thanks to years of building muscle mass.
Hey Hoga, want to carry this? You can drop it if you need to fight. We should be able to get up to a hundred gold for it if we can find a the right buyer. Not a bad paper weight. Hs smiles over at the raven and asks You coming with us through the secret door?
Tamora jams the spiked seats with the objects found in this room.
Kyzen comes back to the secret door entrance, so to be able to speak to the group. As he looks through the door...
"It's the way to the end of the crawl space..."
After seeing the Raven on Kyras's shoulder... Kyzen Pauses for a second, then...
"Is your new found friend coming along?"
Looking at Tamora...
"Forget the chairs, this room hasn't been used for decades..."
With an hand gesture, Kyzen invite the group to come join him...
"Lets proceed as usual...Hoga you're coming?"
Kyzen then starts walking in the corridor
Tamora continues applying objects without hesitation until all chairs are covered.
"Caution is in the line of our work, geomancer. While we inquisitors are taught to uphold the tenets of our gods like our brothers and sisters, our methods are more pragmatic. I am covering our backs."
Addressing the raven Kyress explains You must decide my new friend. Shall you come with us or remain here? If you choose to remain for now I will do my best to come back for you. But I must be off with my other friends. Mission and all. I am sure you understand. With the raven still on his shoulder Kyras walks towards the secret door to assume his stop in the party order, looking for traps and such as they advance
The raven looks at Kyras. "Of course I'm following. I've been stuck in this room for long enough." The little creature get into a stable position on Kyras shoulder's and come with the rest of the group. As you move forward, the smell increases in strength until finally you get to the source. Just like Kyzen mentioned, this section of the corridor is missing part of the floor. Instead, there is this thick green sludge.
While the first part is rather easy to cross, the last twenty five feet are slightly covered with the sludge. It is rather slippery and the walls lack any type of grip to help move about.
I shall lead the way. Kyras volunteers. Shall we secure a rope in case someone were to sop? Taking 10 the agile investigator makes his way across with one end of a rope tied to his waist. Once past the threat he holds his end of the rope, ready to try to assist the next crosser.
Kyzen indicating the others to go on...
"I'll go last so I can hold the rope from this end and easily join you after..."
Acrobatics : Taking 10 = 20
Kakrish eyes the slippery ledge with a little bit of apprehension. But it quickly passes and he strides boldly forth towards narrow part of the ledge. With enough caution to keep himself upright, he easily makes it across the ledge. "Hah! Not difficult at all!"
The group passes the slippery ledge without any incident. On the other side, they stop in front of a door. Going through all the inspections and scrying, no one finds any traps, locks, magic or auras. Once it is all done, the door is opened to reveal another long ten foot wide corridor continuing south. Thirty feet in the corridor, it turns left and head east. It's a long walk to the end of the corridor. Though it is still in good condition, you can feel the humidity and smell the stagnant air.
At the end of the corridor stand a massive iron door. Any scrying attempt doesn't reveal anything, the door is probably just too thick to allow such thing to pass through. A thorough inspect doesn't reveal any traps, but does show that the door is currently locked.
Looks like a job for Kyras...
"Hmm. Locked?" Kakrish approaches the door and tries to open it. Then, finding it stuck shut, he knocks on the door. "Maybe someone is in there."
Please allow me to try. Kyras readies his tools and sets to work on the lock.
Tamora leans and studies the door as Kyras works on the locks with his steel picks.
"We still have Hoga or Kyzen here if we can't get through that door."
Hoga grins. Looks like our investigator knows a trick or two.
Kyras gets to work with his tool, working out the lock. For a few seconds, he has a bit of difficulty finding the right tumblers to activate. This lock is old, and while the craftsmanship would have been impressive when it was new, in its current state, some of the gears and tumblers are damaged by the passage of time. With time, Kyras is finally rewarded with the wonderful sound of the lock shifting position which allows for the door to be opened.
The room on the other side is a small, plain, ten-foot-square room with a windowless iron door on the opposite wall beyond. With the door opened, Tamora proceeds with her usual inspection. Two things shows up from her inspection. There is a magical aura in the room. It is covering the opposite wall. Also, the floor seems to be marked with an "X". Closer inspection reveals that the "X" is two cracks in the floor going from opposite corners.
From Kyras's shoulder, the raven looks at the room. "Ah, that's the second security barrier to get to the vault. You think you can figure it out, or are you going to fall for it?"
Tamora shrugs at the raven's assessment.
"This is a wizard's tower after all. There is bound to be magic leaking out everywhere like that wall and door over there."
She tilts her head to Kyzen and Kakrish.
"It seems that we will be needing your expertise for this room with your connection to earth and knowledge of anything architecture whatnot."
Yeah. I'm not much use here. I mostly just swing an axe... Hoga shrugs.
Kyzen, looking at the floor and specially the "X" and using his ability to move dirt/small rocks into the cracs trying to see if it's only a cracked floor or a big hole underneath...
"Beside thinking that a Crack Marked X doesn't look very inspiring to be on, none of my expertise can really help here..."
Kyras regards the room safely from outside it. I am no caster Tamora. If you say there is magic emanating from a wall I shall have to believe you. Seems like a pit trap to me. He studies the floor carefully.
Kyzen and Kyras study the from the outside. With Kyzen's test and Kyras's sharp eye, they are able to come to the conclusion that the floor is indeed set up to open into a pit. What they fail to see, however, is the mechanism that would activate such trap. It might have something to do with the magic wall. A closer inspection might help.
Kakrish looks at the floor and examines it closely.
Not finding anything useful with his mundane skills he turns to magic. After casting detect magic he tries to draw on his experience and knowledge to determine more.
We need to be in the room to figure out this thing I fear, and likely even close the outer door, but the entire floor is part of the trap. I'll go in and see if I can figure out it. Let me secure a rope to myself and Hoga can hold the end.
If everyone agrees Kyras will tie a rope to himself, pass an end to Hoga, make sure there is little slack in the rope, go into the room and close the door.
Okay. How about a little backup, Kakrish? Hoga gestures to the dwarf as he takes up the rope.
Kakrish grabs the end of the rope and wraps it around himself. "Ok. I'm good to go."
Kyras slowly walks in, trying to keep an eye on everything so that he doesn't activate the trap. Hoga and Kakrish hold the other end of the rope, giving just enough loose so that Kyras can move forward. When he passes the center of the room, a loud voice can be heard. The commanding voice echoes throughout the corridor.
Pass Phrase? Any ideas? Kyras asks first the group and then the raven on his shoulder.
Hoga shrugs.
Tamora shrugs.
"Drawing prior experience, we could try the phrases that are associated with the owner of this tower. That would means backtracking until we find a hint which we have time for. I hope it is not something as preposterous as 'In the name of Hunclay, I command you to open' or something along those lines."
Kyzen trying to recall in his mind...
"The only thing close to mind is the bronze plaque, what's writen on hit maybe???"
Hoga produces the plaque and reads it aloud. Confession Cleanses the soul - Pain clarifies the mind.
Not so sure I'm on board with that idea, he muses.
Seems kinda cruel, if you ask me.
Speaking in a loud clear voice and obviously addressing the raven Kryas admonishes No, my feathered friend. That is not the relationship we shall have. We shall be a team working to help each other or I shall take you back to your room and lock you once again inside. Keep in mind that one day I shall have a secret from you. Think of what relationship you would want with me then. Time passes...
The Raven is taken back by Kyras words. "Oh! So that's how you want our relationship to work, I give freely, or you threaten when I don't. Not much of a benefit for me long term." He flies off and land on the frame above the locked door. "Just close the door so that I can use the pass phrase."
Why do you even want me to bleed? Kyras mubles as he closes the door, the rope still securely tied to his middle. Makes no sense. No gain in it for you that I can see.
"There is power in the blood. Ancient magic from before the age of man. But the blood must be given voluntarily, if not, then a lot of the power goes away." The Raven waits for the door to close.
Once the door is close the Raven takes a deep breath. "Good Baron Sarvo wills it." You hear a noise coming from both doors at the same time. The Raven flies back to your shoulder. "Now you may proceed forward, if you want."
Thank you my friend. Perhaps I will teach you what it means to have a friend instead of a master. I think you will learn to like it.
Checking the far door Kyras tries to open it.