Searches for the most recent signs of passage
Trane follows with his cat. They both expect to see more trouble.
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Uldar does not detect any traps on the coffer or the box, and he easily opens them. The bronze coffer contains three potions:
haste CL5
cure serious wounds (CL5 - 3d8+5)
water breathing CL5
The iron box containing 800 gold pieces and 200 platinum pieces.
Brandor and Kenz search the area for trouble. Kenz notices a faint footprint leading into the five-foot-wide passage.
Incidental faint light coming down the 30 foot shaft is the only illumination in the room, and the passage is totally dark...
"I suggest the front-liners take the haste and cure potions. Anyone holding the group loot might take the water breathing, I will take it otherwise."
Then Uldar mingles with the shadows and advance trough the dark passage. "I suggest we move stealthy from here on."
Trane takes the water breathing, the haste to Uldar, and gives the cure to Kenz.
"The haste will affect many, so Uldar, you can drink it when five of us close together need to use it. You are definitely on the list of those who should be affected."
He points ahead:
"Anyone have light?"
"I do not have a source of light, although for myself, I can see in the dark. As far as the rest of the loot, I am happy to take a fair share at the end of the road, but for now I don't mind how you divide it. But I do think any healing should go to those on the front line, in case I can't get to you in time. I am happy to lead through the dark if necessary, but those guys up top didn't seem like they could see in the dark, so there is probably a box of torches or lanterns around here somewhere."
trane, I'm not sure potions work that way. Kalizima, you would know; can a single potion bespell multiple people?
No, Kenz. A single potion only works for whoever drinks it. You would need a spell for multiple people.
I can cast a light spell on whoever is going first if you would like.
"That is good to know. Maybe we give the haste to Kenz and the cure to Brandor. Though I would think the person drinking the potion could use it best, I guess Brandor can decide when to hand it out."
Trane looks pointedly at Garm: "Now that we have decided to take our time, no need to rush this job. We can always return to town for a much needed rest."
as I thought, and I'd be pleased to take the haste. Incidentally, I agree resting may be for the best. I think we all expected that battle with the brigands to be much more difficult than it was and we may have used too many valuable resources dealing with them, like that fiery orb spell. Well done, that, by the way.
he gives Kalizama a conspicuous wink
Uldar looks with worried expression "It definetly went easy thanks to your spells. Thanks a lot." He then looks to the passage "I don't know how much run out are you, but we have a brigand left and he can be giving message of us. I don't like that either."
After listening to this exchange I say, You're welcome. Just trying to do my job and keep us all alive.
I agree with Uldar. We should press on and take care of that last brigand. There are 6 of us and one of him. Much better odds than if he gets back to the rest of his group and brings back up. And besides that he is probably the leader and has all the loot. He can't be that far ahead of us. Let's go!
I cast Light on my newly acquired short sword and head off down the passage way.
I still have plenty of vigor and more than a few cantrips remaining. I vote we press on. I might be 68 (or was that 65?) but I can still keep up with you youngin's!
watches her head off for a beat before saying to the others, so, does she always get her way around here or... nevermind. Don't answer. he reaches into his belt pouch, pulls out an ioun torch and places it in the air over his head where it stays, moving with him, and hurries off down the tunnel to take the lead, since part of his job is taking surprise arrows in the dark so no one else has to.
Brandor brings up the rear now that the party has light.
Uldar follows mingled with the shadows cast by the magic stone and attentive to dangers of any sort.
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The party makes its way through the stone fissure, and quickly discovers that it twists and turns, but generally keeps heading in a westerly direction.
The narrow passage leads gradually west, ascending slowly over about 200 feet. It then turns due north for another 100 feet, where the limestone gives way to clay walls shored up by timbers for 50 feet. The escape tunnel mouth is at the side of hill. A small heavy door there is set back from the entrance and painted dull brown.
Near the tunnel exit are a deserted cottage and a ramshackle three-sided barn. This whole area is screened by surrounding trees. In the barn are visible six light horses, with accompanying saddles, harnesses and other equine gear hanging from the walls.
"I have to admit, this isn't what I was expecting, but I guess we should have. Horses are nice, but we let one, if not more, of these bandits escape. I think we will be finding ourselves some more trouble soon."
Uldar looks around trying to locate clues and tries to help track down the brigand.
"This is the bolt hole. Shall we return to the temple?"
"I agree to return to the temple. Maybe we can give a try to follow the brigand tracks first though. Can you see any signs sir Loften? Perhaps we want to have a look to those horses and farms before heading back. Just to make sure we don't leave any danger here."
Ulder approaches the horses and searches them in order to loot any usefull equipment.
"In any case we can leave the horses here and use them to get back faster to Nulb whenever we want to."
"We can get the horses later. Right now, there is evil to defeat. And we know we have a nice retreat route or bolt hole as the creatures of nature call it."
Uldar comes back up the tunnel while carefully checking for any other route the missing brigand could have taken.
After exiting the tunnel, I look around the area and search the deserted cottage and the barn for signs of the brigand. I wonder who left these horses all ready to use to ride off, and where they are now.
Perception - cottage:
Perception - barn:
Knowledge local:
Knowledge Nature:
With the delay, Trane and Chaandra look to see if they can locate the bandit tracks.
"I guess we are looking around a bit."
makes his own sweep for tracks
and looks to see if there's anything odd about the structure
unless anyone has found something significantly more interesting than I have, I suggest we be on our way
"Was there anything else in the temple?
Brandor heads back into the hole when the others look ready to join him.
I wonder if this banditry has even deeper roots inside Nulb? The plot thickens.
To determine who's farm this is.
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Uldar observes the passageway while returning to the tower, but does not see anything out of the ordinary.
Kalizama thinks hard about the abandoned cottage and barn with the horses, and reaches the conclusion the horses belonged to the brigands.
Trane, Kenz and Chaandra snoop about the area, looking for signs of the fleeing brigand. Chaandra easily picks up the scent, which leads from the tunnel mouth to the barn. Visible tracks indicate the brigand escaped on horseback.
Garm thinks the buildings are abandoned, as they are in poor shape, and well hidden by trees and bushes.
"I would suggest to investigate and clear the old building before proceeding to the temple. We don't want to be taken in our back."
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In approaching the ruins of the stone building, you note that as with all of the razed works of the Temple, the outlines of this place are discernible even though the whole is tumbled, burned and broken.
Broken bricks, bits of charred beams, and broken plaster are heaped in the shell of the lower story. Parts of a narrow outside stairway on the west side can be seen through the rubble. The stairs lead down to a dark, small opening, through which a person might crawl.
Uldar gives a look downstairs without going too deep.
Uldar rears back to the team and says "It seems just a rat's nest. Do you want to explore it or shall we proceed to the temple? I don't think the animals here will attack us as long as we ignore them."
at the great risk of leaving a stone unturned, I thinks it's time we went back
"I think squeezing to fight rats on their turf can wait if the temple proper gets too dull. Are we ready to move on?"
Trane recommends returning to the temple.
"I'm not interested in rats. Let's get into the temple and see what's going on."
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The group proceeds in a southerly direction, and careful inspection of the temple structure, including a trek around its exterior, reveals the following.
The oddly peaked and gabled roof seems to set the viewer's teeth on edge. The grue-some visages glaring from the walls are everywhere — as projecting ornaments, as supports, in bas-relief, etc. The place is huge. It extends over 450 feet north and south, and is nearly 450 feet across at its widest. The walls rise about 30 feet, supported by arched buttresses and many pilasters. The roof peak is about 20 feet higher than the walls, making the whole edifice no less than 50 feet tall.
Only three doors are visible, all at the south end of the Temple. The narrow windows appear to be barred. Each pair of doors is held fast by huge iron chains, and all cracks are sealed with soft iron. Graven upon each portal are magical runes which glow in a silvery radiance.
Those of you not examining the main southern entry doors have noted that the vile stained glass windows of the place are intact. You can enter by breaking the main south door, or you can check the smaller bronzewood doors around the corners to the east and west. (Bronzewood is a dense, very hard wood, tougher than oak.)
"So, what all those runes might mean? These chains here seem to be protecting the doom in the temple to go out. So either those brigands have a different entrance to the temple, or none has been really going in and out since the last war." Uldar checks for basement entrances and signs of people going in or out the temple.
Trane offers to boost the halfling up to the window. "Breaking in quietly is what we need!"
Brandor checks the door around the east side.
Having reluctantly followed the rest of the group back to the building and then here to the Temple, I listen to the other members' conversations and observe their actions. After having seen the runes on all of the doors, I cast Detect Magic on them and then I study them to see what I can learn.
Spellcraft:
Unlock the door from the inside."
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Kalizama casts detect magic on the doors and examines them for several rounds...
I detect a very strong aura of Enchantment magic coming from the doors. I sense that the runes are projecting a permanent spell of antipathy, designed to keep individuals away from the doors. Anyone attempting to tamper with the doors will probably be affected by the spell, undoubtedly a will save.
And Trane, how are you going to get inside to unlock it from the inside, considering the visible presense of chains and locks on the outside?
Trane stops preparing to boost the Halfling through the window.
"I was going to see if our burglar can get in through the window and open the doors. But if you can unlock with magic, I will wait."
The narrow windows appear to be barred.
Ken begins to pace back and forth as his eyes climb the edifice, perhaps there's a way in on an upper story...
Uldar helps Kenz on his try to guess how the evil creatures are going out the temple, and for any sign of them doing so.
"I would gladly try to sneak and open from inside. Regretfully, it seems the temple is sealed from outside. Not a surprise the ancient wizards and clerics sealed the evil here inside. If they are not going out, we better keep it inside. I would not be the one to open Pandora's box. I think our job here is done, let's come back to Nulb and report about our findings. The temple remains closed and we removed the brigands who were gathering here. What do you think?"
Perhaps we should investigate that abandoned building in the rear first? Many temples have secret tunnels leading to and from catacombs beneath them. They often use these during times of persecution to escape their oppressors. Occasionally they are used to inconspicuously store items the clergy consider sacred so as to keep their location secret. If something was stirring inside the temple perhaps it has found a way out through one such tunnel?