'trapped, hadn't thought of that.' Trib looks up at the tall elf, shrugging his shoulders "We's can take a look ta make sure." trib then begins to carefully look at the engraving for traps.
Regin also inspects the defaced religious icons.
But that part of his training has long since leaked out of his ears.
I've never heard or seen anything like this before. And under the earth, no less! he maevels.
Suddenly, a strange thought creeps into Regin's head and he takes his wooden holy symbol of Ishtar in his hand. May the generosity of the Godess grant me vision of the evils around me he intones.
A very thorough search found no traps, despite Trib's best efforts.
Suddenly, a strange thought creeps into Regin's head and he takes his wooden holy symbol of Ishtar in his hand. May the generosity of the Godess grant me vision of the evils around me he intones.
Regin sensed the taint of evil from the triptych and from the pool of black liquid .
So... How does it look, kids?
Says the Dwarf, still keeping his standard bear-looking aspect. Although wearing his brass knuckles, the humanoid doesn't seem to carry or bother about other weapons. He crosses his arms and looks around, not having the best of feelings about that place...
Trib shakes his head, "I can't find a trap near tha etching at all, I's'l go check down stairs while you eggheads try and figure the triptych out." Trib toddles back down stairs and begins searching the three large archways for traps.
A very thorough search found no traps, despite Trib's best efforts
Trib continued his search below, around the pool. It makes for painstaking, tedious work to check everything two and three times before moving forward. His care paid off, as thrice he found subtle etchings in the floor. They were just the kind of thing that Workers of Art used to cage slaying spells for the unwary. Each blocked the one of the archways.
'Well those are nasty aren't they. Tribim, after finding the first trap, becomes, if possible, even more cautious. Telling his companions. "Each of tha archways are block with a nasty little etchin'. good catch Arundel"
going to the inert archway, trib draws out his tools, 'Maybe the inert one will be less deadly.' and begins working on disabling the trap there.
Trib goes to work, carefully following the lines etched in the stone before the dormant archway. He knew every one of these etchings had its own oddities, but they all followed certain sets of rules. Zummabu had explained it once, but understanding all of that depended on years of studying magic. Still, if the intersections ran so and these lines touched thus... Yes, that should do it.
The halfling carefully scratched lines of his own, connecting to the diagram at several points. If he'd done it right, the hanging spell should subside. Zummabu said that there would probably be a discharge, lights, a sound, perhaps a smell or a brief current in the air.
None came.
The Draconic creature tilted his head. "Is the path clear?"
'Crud, that lines in the right place and that one, need to do it again.'Trib steps back for a moment, wiping the sweat of his brow, shaking his head at Amerakushu's question, "No, but I's'l give it another go." Stepping back up to the trap he makes another attempt. 'Let's try this again.' Shaking his head when he realizes his tool slipped and he make the line in the wrong place. "Oh b%~+#@&s"
Arundel continues to ponder the triptych while Trib goes about working on the traps. "So it is magical, with an aura of evocation, but not trapped. It does overlook the pool down below. Possibly a control of some kind?"
Arundel continues to ponder the triptych while Trib goes about working on the traps. "So it is magical, with an aura of evocation, but not trapped. It does overlook the pool down below. Possibly a control of some kind?"
Arundel knows that circles are sometimes used for protection or summoning, but that wouldn't explain the aura he detects. His best guess is that it's got something to do with the pool, but he has no idea just what.
As the elf ponders the triptych, Tribim goes to work on the trap below. His hand slipped and the rune came to life. Brilliant blue lightning raced through it and into his body.
Arundel hears the crackle of lightning and looks over the edge as Trib gets what looks like a nasty shock. "Trib, you OK?"
'uh oh' "Aacckkk" Tribim screams and gets knocked back by the bolt of electricity, his hair standing on end, smoke rolling from third degree burns, the smell of ozone and burned flesh filling the room. Tribim calls up to Arundel. "These traps are magical and downright killers, If we can figure out how ta turn 'em off or avoid 'em it may be better."
Arundel frowns in puzzlement and responds "I wonder if the circle up here is related in some way. It has an evocation aura, but none of the normal uses for circles would radiate evocation like this. That trap was most definitely evocation, though."
He looks around more up here to see if there is anything that would give more clues to how this thing works.
He also tries throwing some random debris (or if no debris can be found, a copper piece from his belt pouch) onto the circle, to see if anything happens with physical contact with the circle.
"Perhaps a word, phrase or prayer would disarm it?" Amarekashu looked at it. "If you wish, I can test it. Lightning does not harm me as it does others." He blinked his eyes slowly at the trap.
'uh oh' "Aacckkk" Tribim screams and gets knocked back by the bolt of electricity, his hair standing on end, smoke rolling from third degree burns, the smell of ozone and burned flesh filling the room. Tribim calls up to Arundel. "These traps are magical and downright killers, If we can figure out how ta turn 'em off or avoid 'em it may be better."
Arundel frowns in puzzlement and responds "I wonder if the circle up here is related in some way. It has an evocation aura, but none of the normal uses for circles would radiate evocation like this. That trap was most definitely evocation, though."
He looks around more up here to see if there is anything that would give more clues to how this thing works.
[dice=Perception]1d20+11
He also tries throwing some random debris (or if no debris can be found, a copper piece from his belt pouch) onto the circle, to see if anything happens with physical contact with the circle.
From his perch above, Arundel could see that the layer of dust and debris on the floor had seen recent disturbance, including sections where none of Zummabu's party had walked. That included the areas he knew to be warded about the archways. Neither a tossed stone nor a copper triggered the Art waiting there.
Well I don't what to do that ever again. Trib, looking a little worse for wear, nods his head in agreement with Amarekashu, "If you would like ta give it a go, I certainly ain't gonna stop ya." He toddles clockwise over to the violet glowing archway and points out the well hidden runes.
Well I don't what to do that ever again. Trib, looking a little worse for wear, nods his head in agreement with Amarekashu, "If you would like ta give it a go, I certainly ain't gonna stop ya." He toddles clockwise over to the violet glowing archway and points out the well hidden runes.
All three arches open on blank walls, so you couldn't unless there's some kind of magic at play.
"Well, there's good news and bad news. Good news is, there must be some sort of way to turn those wards off. Bad news is, looks like this was relatively recently done by someone else. There is a layer of dust on everything, which gets disturbed when we move through it - and there are some places that have been disturbed where we haven't been, including the warded areas around the archways. There is no way to guarantee we will remain alone."
When the thrown objects failed to get any response out of the circle, Arundel took a deep breath and stepped into the circle himself. (Gotta get my coin back. What could possibly go wrong...)
Just like Trib's did, Arundel's circle erupted in lightning and gave him a flesh-searing jolt.
From where he is, Dommer tries to look at the disturbances on the ground - particularly the ones his party didn't make - to see if he can track the path from and to.
He lets a big "hmmm" while analyzing it.
From where he is, Dommer tries to look at the disturbances on the ground - particularly the ones his party didn't make - to see if he can track the path from and to.
[dice=Survival]1d20+7
He lets a big "hmmm" while analyzing it.
Dommer finds tracks leading to and from the two active archways, so far as he can tell without stepping into the traps. Most seem to go between the arches, but others go back toward the well.
Dommer spreads the information he gathered.
Namtar, knowing his place, keeps silent, waiting for his betters to decide.
'That's very interesting, I'm glad Dommer pointed those out.' Trib stands still, trying not to mess up the tracks that Dommer has found, he asks "Dommer, does tha tracks appear ta go in tha well and the archways, er do they seem ta stop outside of em?" 'If that buffoon we took the gear from can figure this out we sure as heck can.'
I can't say much without stepping on the dangerous zone, kid. - his words sound friendly, even though he wasn't charismatic at all.
With Falcon-like eyes, he tried to approach the space between the two active archways without stepping on the traps, and analyze if there's any hidden passage or something they're missing.
I could take the lead. I am strong and quick, and could avoid the dangers?
I can't say much without stepping on the dangerous zone, kid. - his words sound friendly, even though he wasn't charismatic at all.
With Falcon-like eyes, he tried to approach the space between the two active archways without stepping on the traps, and analyze if there's any hidden passage or something they're missing.
[dice=Perception]1d20+11
Dommer finds that the tracks appear to begin and end at the two glowing archways.
'You gotta like his willingness.' Trib smiles at his gladiator friend. "An' we's'l let ya, as soon as we get tha bloody things open."
Turning to Dommer he asks "Were their tracks going inta tha pool to? Ya would think that with it showing evil and strong necromancy that no on would want to be swimming in it." Trib walks over to the edge of the pool and looks in. 'I wonder what would happen if we jump in there.'
Arundel calls down in response "They might not physically open at all, Trib, they might simply be magical transports, and the glowing ones are open already. Hard to tell."
When stepping into the big circle didn't do anything , the elf bends down to pick up his coin and frowns at the whole setup up here. "There must be something to this thing..." he mutters to himself. He tries touching the triptych, examining it to see if anything seemed like a button or a trigger of some sort.
Tribim saw only the strange, slow currents of the dark pool. If anything swam beneath the surface, he couldn't tell.
Arundel's examination of the triptych proved safe enough, but he found only that the obsidian bricks seemed uneven. Many had worn and chipped edges, but others appeared pristine as if they'd been cut and set by a careful, skilled hand mere days before.
Rein watches the proceedings with a creeping feeling of uselessness. He want trained for this, though he very much wanted to join in.
Just let me know if I can help, guys... He offers. I don't know what to do.
perhaps there is something at the bottom of the well? A key?. Namtar takes a deenbreath and jumps in.
perhaps there is something at the bottom of the well? A key?. Namtar takes a deenbreath and jumps in.
Stunning cold engulfed Namtar in an instant, making muscles seize and stabbing icy daggers into his joints. A naked man alone on the sands in the full cold of night would not suffer so!
Namtar refuses to yield and gen swims deeper into the water. His masters must find a way through the door.
'crap' Trib, seeing Namtar jump in the pool, "I wouldn't...nevermind," turning to Dommer, "I hope he's ok."
He'll be fine. If he isn't I'll go in and get him.
Regin starts taking off his armor, just in case.
Hearing the splash as Namtar jumps in, Arundel looks up in surprise and rushes over to the ledge. "Did someone just jump in the evil pool of magic? Tell me nobody just jumped into the evil pool of necromantic magic!" Seeing the reactions of everyone else, and the lack of any Namtars, gives him little hope of that, though, and the elf hurries down the steps. As he goes, he pulls his backpack off and opens it, pulling out a blanket. "This can help dry him if... when he comes out."
Namtar refuses to yield and gen swims deeper into the water. His masters must find a way through the door.
Namtar took a deep breath and plunged down into the liquid. He dove into midnight itself, the cold only growing greater. In just a moment he vanished beneath the surface completely, as if he had never been there at all.
The plunged deeper despite the cold sapping his muscles and stealing force from each move for endless shivering, the liquid grew thicker and thicker as he went until Namtar was nearly digging through it. He struggled to gain any depth at all.
Namtar will need swim checks to descend. No penalty on the first one. Since he's actively swimming, he's got his Con in rounds before running out of air.
he goes down. First round of breath.
no damage :(
That puts him at 10 feet. Next check is at -5 because stuff gets thicker.
no progress. Second round of breath.
5 dex damage now
still no progress. Third round of breath.
6 dex damage
progress! He's 20 feet down now and four rounds of breath. Also it's -10 on future checks.
8 dex damage total
Going to stop here for now.
"Perhaps a rope would have been a wise idea...?"
Perhaps... Regin says as the last if his armor hits the ground. Y'all wouldn't happen to have any protective magic on ya? He asks.
Perhaps, my friend... - says the Dwarf, touching Regin on his shoulder - ... I should go retrieve him. I can hold my breath quite well, and plus...
His hands gain small frog-like skin between the fingers.
... I might also be able to swim a little better, especially without my armor. - he completes already removing his armor.
The rope idea should still be valid, though!