We will need to rest soon, and when we do, Karnog can converse with his deity to come up with something special for the slime.
"Aye, lad. Special dwarven magic called...a bonfire! At least, I think that may be the best course of action."
"Onwards and upwards."
As you wind up the stair you you eventually arrive at an archway, written marks the room: "“THE CHTHONIC CRYPTS". The room is dark and smells of musk.
Desmond crumples his nose "Lovely."
If Desmond doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary he'll motion to follow along the left wall.
Grimm takes a look around, hopefully, with sufficient light for Desmond, he will follow at a distance of 10 feet and cast DETECT MAGIC, scanning from behind the rogue.
Entering the long hall, traveling to the left - always left, you can see the first side chamber laden with stone caskets. The room is larger then what you can see. Faint, dissonant music resonates within the hall.
Why do I get the feelin we are about ta face something nasty.
Grimm moves forward, Greatsword in hand.
"Something nasty is about to face us, you mean."
Karnog looks around and keeps his hammer ready.
"Dwarven grammar," Kalim notes.
Malcolm will Detect Evil at will.
The entire cloister and the dungeon has had a faint evil aura to it for the get go. This room has a slightly higher evil feeling to it.
The evil afoot is even greater in this room. Be on guard.
As the explorers form up defensive battle lines, nothing occurs except the sound of slightly off-key, irregular notes of an instrument.
A quick look inside the closest side chamber reveals the stone coffins, a few are broken, and the remnants of bone both humanoid and animal lay scattered on the mason floor.
Grimm's keen eyes can see there are two additional alcoves on the southern wall, perhaps stairs - perhaps not, it is hard to see from his angle.
Likewise, Karnog can see what looks like another side chamber containing stone coffins on the northern wall, along with what looks like the base of dais to the far northeast.
Both Grimm and Karnog can see the outline of stone door to the far east.
Malcolm takes a step forward to illuminate the area, but he stops, thinking that it may be best if Desmond or Grimm check the area. He whispers.
Grimm and Des, do you two mind progressing a bit to see if any traps or anything awaits us before I shed some light on the area?
Desmond nods, moving forward with Grimm to check ahead.
It is dark in here, save for the Paladin’s cap, so Grimm moves forward first in the darkness, sword leading.
Vatilda keeps her weapon hand free... ready to cast her protective ward at the first sign of the enemy.
She tries to calm her mind of the shame in falling victim to the harpy's song, and strains to hear approaching threats.
"This time.. I will be ready..."
Grimm and Desmond move forward carefully. The music is definitely a from pipes originating in northeast alcove by the dais. You begin to feel a slight breeze as you move east. There is a second coffin room on the north wall, this has less bones scattered about. To the south there is a second set of stairs leading downward.
You observe a statue of a goat=legged sheepherd playing a set of metal panpipes. The music is coming from the statue, at least from what you can tell from your current point of view.
will
"The music ...brushed my mind. Be ready." He grips his cold iron longspear.
Grimm begins to feel his feet start to move of there own accord but gathers his will and shakes it off.
He pulls his Wand from it's Quickdraw sheath and casts shield of Faith on himself and re stows it before continuing forward to E22.
Several people shrug off the urge to dance while other barely notice the musics effect. Grimm creeps forward and can see there are two sets of downward stairs on the south wall, the stone door on the eastern wall and a statue of a half man-half goat holding a set of metal panpipes in the north east chamber. The breeze within the chamber creating the pipe sound.
The side chambers have stone coffins.
Inscription on the east stone door reads: “THE HALL OF ENTOMBMENT.
THEY WHO HAVE RISEN ‘GAINST THE GREAT FROG-GOD, THEY SHALL SEE NO REST.”
Grimm quickly cuts to D26, motioning for Desmond to back him up.
Grimm moves across the hall, his heart racing, as his nerves are on edged. to his surprise the statue does not move when he crosses it's path. the pipe music continues as the cold breeze circulates stronger in this area.
With the statue, apparently not rising up to kill him Grimm waves the others forward. ..
Malcolm moves forward, shedding light on the remainder of the crypt.
Karnog moves up as the scouts indicate.
The statue remains still, there are panpipes made out of a rare alloy in its hands that you discern is the reason for the strange song.
The panpipes are made out a unique rare alloy that can fetch a 900 GP price but it will take some work to remove the pipes. STR check 20
There is a stone door to the east, two additional staircases on the south wall, 2 side chambers filled with stone caskets, and a west tunnel.
Grimm motions for the rogue to inspect the statue.Grimm was here to kill things, but he was smart enough to know that fine weapons and magic armor MATTERED, despite so called 'Masters' crapping on about skill. A magic sword could turn a novice into a decent warrior and a Master into a terror. Gear like that was expensive, so they might as well loot the place dry while they were at it.
If you are removing the pipes from the statue make a strength check DC20, others can assist.
"Yes they're very nice. Let's keep looking around."
"The pipes look worth the trouble... they appear to be made from a special alloy... worth near 1000 gold I'd guess. If someone has the strength... I can help a bit."
Desmond spins on his heel and walks right back to the pipes. "A little nicer than I thought. I'd fancy going to some trouble for that." He rubs his hands together and sticks his heels in the ground, grunting with the effort. "Almost...got...it...gimme some help"
"Be careful lads. No telling what's in those stone chests."
Desmond with help from Vatilda you are able to pry the pipes away. Vatilda knows the pipes value {ooc]listed above.[/ooc]
Prying open a coffin, or two, reveals odd goat shaped humans skeletons. They are wearing various ceremonial type clothes, obviously odd and mostly tattered. There is a chill within the hall.
There is little of value within.
"This place is evil and malformed. We must guard our souls as much as oir physical beings, I fear."
Seeing the rogue unconcerned about the pipes being trapped, Grimm watches the two of them clumsily pry and succeed getting them down.
So what is the group going to do now that it has the pipes and has discovered odd skeletons in the coffins. Those skeletons look an awful lot like the statue. You still have a passage to the west and to the east, along with two staircases heading down.
Let us move on. the direction matters not to me, but we should try to find a defensible position to rest soon.