Shiv hops from the boat and scans the area for any ambushes or traps before proceeding to the passageway, "Don't go lightin' any torches yet. Let's git inside first."
It is difficult for Shiv's merely-human eyes to pierce the gloom, but he neither nears nor sees anything beyond the immediately obvious. As he heads toward the opened passage way, he almost trips over several large pieces of stone - rubble from the collapsed wall has been pushed out into the next chamber. Traces of recent habitation — bits of trash and rubbish and the odd piece of clothing or equipment — are scattered here and there, though the room now appears to be unused. He cannot even see the far wall in the darkness, however.
Ellantera helps tie off the boats using more large stones before putting her armor back on.
Kassandra looks around in the darkness. As Shiv advances, she mutters a few words and conjures a ball of weak, soft light. If no one rejects, she will start tracing the entrance and the first room by sending the light up and getting a better sight of the surroundings.
Ellantera shakes her head, whispering "Shiv said no torches yet. Dontcha think that means magelight, too?"
Shiv surprises Ellantera by shrugging in the darkness, "Was nah gonna git much further without it. The lass done right. Besides all ya ain't exact quiet like anyways..." He gives El an accusing look before advancing carefully into the hallway.
Uraisa takes up a place at the back of the group, being as silent as she could be.
Chastised, Ellantara hangs her head for a moment, but then she takes a deep breath and looks up. "I'll take the back." Ellantera motions for the mage to precede her. "Go on, 'raisa. Better if you are closer to the middle."
Galyna takes a position a bit behind Shiv, crossbow at the ready as she moves forward.
The mage-lights illuminate the next room more fully, and there is indeed another doorway - two, in fact, on the north and south walls. The accumulated debris and scorch marks clearly indicate a large number of people camped here at one point not too long before.
There is no sign of any recent activity or passage by other parties that you can see.
Oscar will take up position third in line, so he can reach any conflict quickly.
Survival
Uraisa moves up and smiles at Ellantera, letting the other female behind her.
Shiv steps carefully through the chamber and looks down the passage to the south.
Almost at once, Shiv wishes he hadn't; the foul odor and suspicious stains on the floor reveal that this chamber was used as a privy within the last few weeks. Huddled in one corner are the rotten remains of a small dog.
Not terribly put off by the smell, since he swam in an open sewer recently himself and wasn't terribly sensitive in the first place, he investigates the odd dog way out here in the Irespan. If nothing interesting turns up than he heads down the other passage.
Miet will glance down the Northern tunnel
Oscar holds his nose at Shiv, and works his way towards the tunnel Miet is observing.
The northern passage turns out to be a set of stairs heading up and curving to the right. There's an open area, a new room or possibly just a large landing, barely visible at the top of the stairs as Miet and Oscar peer around the corner.
"Well I'm not getting any younger". "This way leads up", Oscar whispers loudly, and starts up the passage.[/b]
Uraisa follows in her usual spot, trying to keep quiet and not give away their position.
The room at the top of the stairs proves to be more of a landing; a second stairwell on the far side of the room continues upward, curving rightward and out of sight. Three stone boxes, their lids raised, stand lined up against the east wall of the landing. A fine yellow powder surrounds them on the floor.
Shiv catches back up with Salt with a smirk, "Ya jus' after some Tower Gal action." He holds up a hand to Oscar to indicate the warrior should slow up and examines the yellow powder and stone boxes carefully before continuing.
Uraisa detects magic on the strange area, hoping to keep Shiv from blundering into a mystical trap.
Uraisa detects no magic. Shiv sees no traps on the boxes at the moment, but he's pretty sure they were trapped and someone has already disarmed them.
"Looks like tha lasses already looted this and took care of whatever was protectin' it." He continues through the area out the other exit.
The stairs on the other side of the room go through an entire U-turn, until you wind up facing back the direction you were coming from. They open out into a long hall lined with pillars down the center. At the far end is a low rostrum, the dusty stumps of ancient votive candles lining its outer edge. Two of these have been knocked over. Colorful murals of Thassilon pilgrims and giants marching over an intact Irespan cover the walls.
Perception
Oscar looks around the room, with absolutely no appreciation for the artistic impression...he's more of a form follows function...if it really has to guy.
Perception
Perception
Whispering from the back, "What was it she said about the tower? Natalya?"
Initative
Initiative
"There is a large rat hiding behind one of the middle columns."
"I see it"!
Initiative
With a roar, Oscar closes the distance to the skulking rat, shield held high and hammer held for maximum impact.
Warhammer blow
Warhammer Damage
Init
Lining up her shot, Galyna targets the rat at the far end of the room, unsure of whether any of the others had seen it yet.
Galyna's bolt flashes down the length of the room, and it creases the fur of a dire rat crouching the shadows at the far end of the chamber without truly hitting it. Oscar moves toward a closer beast, but finds that the columns prevent him from having a clear shot to swing his hammer.
The two rats give shocked, startled squeaks and flee for the stairs on the far side of the room. The nearer one, next to Oscar, manages to reach the staircase, while the one further away is only able to make it to the foot of the stairs.