'Looks like I have a shadow. I need to keep the big guy safe, who knows what trouble he'll get into down here without someone looking out for him.' Wading through the orange stuff, Tribim looks into the basin, detecting the magic, he tells the crew. "Looks like tha basin produces some kind of food. It detects as faint conjuration. Tha stuff may be unpleasant, but I'm reasonably sure tha substance ain't dangerous. All them bugs crawling over it don't speak well for its cleanliness, though." He looks up smiling. "Do we want to take it with us?"
Dropping from the basin, he continues looking around the room, occasionally scrapping the orange stuff with his dagger, or nudging bug carcasses with his foot. Shifting his dancing lights with him so he cans see clearly.
Namtar shrugs and tastes the goop in the basin. If you wish, Master, i can carry it.
He peers into the darkness, trying to help Tribim search for threats or anything of use.
Arundel looks pretty disturbed after having those bugs crawling all over him. I hate bugs! And they were all over me! He shudders slightly before turning to Trib, trying to distract himself.
"What do the magic items do? I was a little... distracted."
Arundel looks pretty disturbed after having those bugs crawling all over him. I hate bugs! And they were all over me! He shudders slightly before turning to Trib, trying to distract himself.
"What do the magic items do? I was a little... distracted."
Tribim drops his jaw as Namtar puts some of the orange stuff in his mouth, looking at the big guy, "If the others want ta bring it we can. And stop calling me master." He looks at Namtars mouth. "I think that turned your tongue orange.'
'Hhhhmmmm, I ain't got a clue.' Shrugging his shoulders at Arundel, "I could guess, but why don't you take a look at them."
Tribim then begins to toddle about the room, kicking up the orange stuff, looking for anything else to find.
Amarekashu joined in, helping Tribim hunt.
Of course, he wasn't entirely helpful...
Tribim finds nothing else of note in the chamber. The basin is built right into its stand, which is built into the floor. There are odd scraps of leather, bits of metal, and so forth about the bodies but nothing that looked worth any coin or enchanted.
Through this all, Namtar is entirely untroubled by his meal. It wasn't much to taste, but it was food.
'blast' Tribim toddles back out into the hallway. pointing to the water, "looks like that's tha only way to continue. Any volunteers?"
The elf takes the magic items from Trib and examines them with his arcane sight.
"The vials are more healing potions, like the ones we found before. The sphere will allow the user to regain the use of one expended spell per day. The ring will allow the wearer to fall safely from any distance. All very useful indeed!"
Looking at the water, Arundel frowns softly. "There are certain spells that could help us get through there, but I don't know any of them, unfortunately."
The elf takes the magic items from Trib and examines them with his arcane sight.
[dice=spellcraft, vials] 1d20 + 11
[dice=spellcraft, sphere] 1d20 + 11
[dice=spellcraft, ring] 1d20 + 11
Amarekashu shrugged. "That is is why we have rope." Stripping down, the tall human (?) tied a length of rope around his waist and waded down the steps, electricity earthing with a small crack! as his hands touched the water. "I'll go about a minute along, and see what we have, before returning. Any longer and something is wrong. Haul me back." With a deep breath he submerged.
Masters, the bowl of food is eidble.. it's not tasty, but I've had worse. Namtar grins and stashes the bowl away for later. The Champion of Dalath moves to object as Amarekashu slips into the water, but thinks better of challenging the will of a Freeman. Instead, he grips the rope tightly, ready to haul the monk free of the water at the given signal.
Masters, the bowl of food is eidble.. it's not tasty, but I've had worse. Namtar grins and stashes the bowl away for later. The Champion of Dalath moves to object as Amarekashu slips into the water, but thinks better of challenging the will of a Freeman. Instead, he grips the rope tightly, ready to haul the monk free of the water at the given signal.
'I don't think I'll be much help on the rope.' Tribim nears the water trying to see how Amarekashu, keeping his dancing lights near the surface of the water to see what's going on.
Spell-lit and rope-anchored, Amarekashu plunged into the chill, silent water. If not for the glinting Art, he would have been blinded almost at once. He swam down the stairs and into a wide chamber where stood four pillars of tan stone and a larger of the same. Spigots of brass shone in his light, high upon the pillars. Tight-packed mounds of debris marked the otherwise clear floor at regular intervals, beneath the spigots.
As Amareskhu pulled himself around one of the pillars, he felt a slight stir in the water. He dismissed it as his own work, an eddy formed by his strokes. Then hard water slammed into his side and left him almost senseless! The force of the blow jerked hard on the rope, so it jumped in Namtar's hands.
Well then. Looks like it gets a free shot.
But not two.
Namtar quickly hauls on the rope, frantically pulling Amarekashu from the water with all his strength
Bubble errutped from Amarekashu as the draconic Monk was struck by what he assumed was some kind of Water Elemental, hiding in the depths. But it hit hard, whatever it was. As he was pulled back through the water he laid a hand on his chest to restore his own life energy.
'oh crap' Tribim watches the rope go taunt and Namtar begin pulling, "Oh crap pull him back Namtar!" Sending his dancing lights into the water, Tribim looks for something to attack.
Regin immediately scoops up the rope and begins pulling with Namtar.
Arundel moves forward to the edge of the water, and readies an action to swing his staff at anything that follows Amerekashu out of the water, trusting in his companions to fish the man out.
Arundel moves forward to the edge of the water, and set himself to swing his staff at anything that follows Amerekashu out of the water, trusting in his companions to fish the man out.
'oh crap' Tribim watches the rope go taunt and Namtar begin pulling, "Oh crap pull him back Namtar!" Sending his dancing lights into the water, Tribim looks for something to attack.
Namtar quickly hauls on the rope, frantically pulling Amarekashu from the water with all his strength. He hauled Amarekashu almost to the surface.
Bubble erupted from Amarekashu as the draconic Monk was struck by what he assumed was some kind of Water Elemental, hiding in the depths. But it hit hard, whatever it was. As he was pulled back through the water he laid a hand on his chest to restore his own life energy.
Regin immediately scoops up the rope and begins pulling with Namtar, bringing Amarekashu back to dry land.
Nothing came following in his wake.
Amarekashu grunted as he surfaced, spitting water and coughing. "No wonder you do this so often, Namtar. It is such an invigorating experience." Rising from the water, he shook his head. "It felt like the Water itself attacked me. I assume it is some kind of elemental..."
'A water elemental? I wonder what it's guarding.' Tribim scratches his head. "I wonder what it's guarding, could you see anything beyond?"
Amarekashu nodded his head. "An odd chamber with strange brass spigots, mounted on five large columns of tan stone. There were some debris beneath the spigots too." Considering, he added, "I did not get far enough in to see any other exits or sites of interest."
Regin shrugs. If rather not fight a water elemental in the water. Sounds line suicide to me. Not to belittle your scouting, but I think we should seek new places to poke our noses.
Masters? I can go in, and wrestle the water-spirit. I'm strong, I could win. If I die, it will be an honor to spend my life's last moments glorifying the King of the Cities and Skies.
Tribim looks from Namtar to the others, shrugging his shoulders. "That's not a bad idea if we want to fight it, but what does anyone else say?"
Realizing he had forgotten something, Tribim looks back at Namtar, "And stop calling us masters!"
Arundel frowns and shakes his head. "Plenty more to explore without engaging a water elemental on it's home turf. We can always come back later, when we've had a better chance to prepare."
Arundel frowns and shakes his head. "Plenty more to explore without engaging a water elemental on it's home turf. We can always come back later, when we've had a better chance to prepare."
"I think we'll have to return to the sarcophagus room and head the opposite way. Once we've explored that, then the Elemental may be a viable option..." Amarekashu eyed the water with obvious distaste, his still wounded side gently turning a mottled brown and purple.
Tribim nods his head in agreement with Amarekashu and begins to return to the sarcophagus room. "Sounds like a good idea Amarekashu."
Once they have returned to the sarcophagus room he asks, "shall we check out the tunnel?" As he heads back that direction.
Namtar shrugs OK Master
Tribim nods his head and returns to the tunnel, continuing on into the darkness, sending he dancing lights a little ahead so they can see.
Tribim nods his head and returns to the tunnel, continuing on into the darkness, sending he dancing lights a little ahead so they can see.
Zummabu's Company pressed on from the sarcophagus chamber. They came first to the place where they entered through the rubble from below. Turning west from there, Trib's lights pushed the darkness away from a wide alcove. A dais filled much of its far end, rising in three wide steps. About its sides, bas-reliefs covered the walls. These had endured better than many in the Cairn of Whispers. From the very center, one could look out in any direction upon views that matched the sarcophagus chamber as viewed from its center in all but size. Each side bore its proper tunnel, where a colored ziggurat lantern hung blazing with one of the colors of the rainbow.
Back on the main hallway, further darkness beckoned to the south.
Using his Magic, Amarekashu created some light - it had gone well so far - and looked down the passage to the South, just to make sure nothing was lurking that way.
Tribim toddles after Amarekashu, Pushing his lights down the southern hall. "I hope we find something down the south hall that will help us solve this mystery. We have yet to touch the sarcophagus, or many of the tunnels. But their secrets allude us."
Tribim toddles after Amarekashu, Pushing his lights down the southern hall. "I hope we find something down the south hall that will help us solve this mystery. We have yet to touch the sarcophagus, or many of the tunnels. But their secrets allude us."
[dice=perception]1d20+8
Past the carefully dismembered bodies of the jackals, Zummabu's company came to another set of facing alcoves, one of which was full to its ceiling with tumbled rock and stone. The other extended perhaps forty feet, ending in a small marble platform raised six inches from the floor. A strange, shattered frame stood upon it, an angular rectangle hollow inside, but only a third of it stood in place, reaching up from the floor and partway across the top before ending in shattered stone. An unusual seal the size of a man's head was cut into the base. Bits of black glass clung to the frame's inner edge and were scattered about the floor. A closer look showed that runes marked the edge everywhere the glass had fallen from.
Amarkashu looked at the damaged glass. "Somewhat past the spell Mending, I suspect." Perhaps if they could find the stone frame, however, that could be repaired. He tried to recall if they'd seen anything similar.
Amarkashu looked at the damaged glass. "Somewhat past the spell Mending, I suspect." Perhaps if they could find the stone frame, however, that could be repaired. He tried to recall if they'd seen anything similar.
The seal reminded Amarekashu of the one they had seen on the sarcophagus and others in the levels below, though he thought it might not be the same one. The frame slightly resembled the gates that they found in the chamber with the black pool.
Standing near Amarekashu in the second alcove, Tribim frowns, pointing back to the first alcove. "Do we try an move tha pile of rocks from in front of that alcove?"
Then pointing to the glass on the floor, "Or try and puzzle together these pieces of glass?"
Nodding toward the hall, "Or do we continue south?"
Regin frowns. Let's explore this place out before we sit down and do anything like that. I would hate for anything to get the drop on us.
Amarekashu glanced up, to avoid irony. "That seems reasonable."
Namtar nods. That seems wise, Masters
Tribim heads south down the corridor, sending his dancing lights ahead. Looking first at his big friend, "Your right they are smart, but they ain't yer Masters" He then pays close attention to the hallway.
Arundel moves forward with the rest of the group, peering forward into the darkness.
Namtar peers into the darkness as well.
Masters, I cannot see in darkness, but if you give me light, I will go into the dark and explore.
Namtar peers into the darkness as well.
[dice=perception]1d20+6
Masters, I cannot see in darkness, but if you give me light, I will go into the dark and explore.
Tribim heads south down the corridor, sending his dancing lights ahead. Looking first at his big friend, "Your right they are smart, but they ain't yer Masters"
Tribim gives Namtar a funny look, and says under his breath as he head south, following his dancing lights. "Ain't nobody, any bodies masters here."
Zummabu's Company pressed on and came to a final crossing hall, with alcoves reaching out to either side. The walls here were in the worst repair they'd yet seen, cracked and decayed, thick with dust and debris. Several long-dead bodies lay about, dried and curled into small bundles that clutched one another. Beyond those alcoves, the tunnel gave way to tumbled stone and sand. A narrow ray of sunlight filtered down from above.