I continue moving north and casting my spells, hoping to reveal more details about our surroundings. I end up at the base of the 4 steps leading up to the throne. I also have been following the conversations of the others, and am especially interested in Garm's comments. Studying the words carved into the wall above the throne I wonder at their true meaning; who is the "Nameless One"? I also wonder if there is a significance to the pattern of the colored tiles around the throne, if that is what gives the area its Desecrate aura that Garm mentioned.
Uldar gets the ivory robes in the group backpack cleaning a bit before.
The halfling then draws his spear and tries to pull the white bright thing from the rafters.
If nothing is finished he follows Trane to area 9 and checks it.
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Uldar manages to coax the white object in area 6 out of the rafters with his spear, and he pulls down an intact ivory robe, with cowl, edged and embroidered with reddish-pink whorls and lined with pale blue satin.
He then proceeds to area 9 and finding the door unlocked, he opens it. The portal is finely carved, but most of the vile and obscene work has been hacked and chopped so as to efface its evil. Beyond is another vestry, a chamber nearly 30 feet wide and 60 feet long. It once must have been the scene of debauched revels, for the remains of great couches, tables, and padded chairs are strewn about. Charcoal and several broken barrels lie nearby. A stack of resinous kindling wood near the door seem to be the only things not broken or disarrayed. Amidst the litter are several skeletons, probably human. One wears the tattered remains of a scarlet robe. Behind the lengths of wooden kindling is a small cupboard, set into the wall. Within it are two silk robes of bright crimson, with skulls embroidered in gold thread on the front and back. Each is cowled and lined with lavender silk.
Uldar picks up the new and clean white ivory robes.
On the next room, he picks the bright crimson robes.
"These seems to be the robes of the old followers that lived here"
belonging to acolytes of different elements, perhaps?
"Mmm... you mean crimson for fire, green for earth (acid), but what would be ivory white and brown?" Uldar shocks his head at the idea.
maybe green is for water and brown for earth while white is for air?
"Ye openin' a robe shoppe?"
Uldar looks at the dwarf, then he laughs. "No, but if there are thugs gathering here again, we may use these robes to disguise ourselves to explore the temple more safely. Plus they might have special information from previous users. What is your favourite color Brandor?"
While the colors may very well coincide with the elements that the former owners worshiped I believe the brown robes were once a different color...you may not want to wear those.
"I would suggest to investigate the throne, then the pit in the middle of the temple, and afterwards decide if we go deep or return. If we have to choose stairs to go down, I will say eastern ones." afterwards Uldar goes and checks the throne for mechanisms and the pit in the centre for what was its use.
"I agree - if we are to find anything, it will be down those stairs."
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Uldar carefully examines the throne in area 10. He does not detect the presence of any traps. The throne appears to be constructed of solid stone and is immobile.
He then proceeds to area 3, where a central altar and pit are located. Just north of the altar is a circular, marble-lined pit — a well of sorts — 20 feet in diameter. Shards of broken crystal vessels lie about the well, near the altar, and scattered about the floor. A crystal knife with a broken blade lies atop the stone block. Careful examination of the well reveals a one-foot wide ledge beginning 15 feet from the mouth of the shaft. It circles the northern face of the well, leading to narrow, steep steps which spiral down clockwise from the east into the darkness below.
"It seems there are more stairs here in the well. We have plenty of possibilities here it would seem. Shall we descent here, or keep with the eastern idea?"
"These stairs are as good as any."
oh good! a deep, dark, mysterious well with little room to maneuver an virtually no option for retreat... I'll go first. he positions his ioun torch and leads the way down
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The group begins to make its way down the spiraling steep steps of the pit. The steps wind around and around, and it seems like they will go on forever. After having descended almost 90 feet down, you find yourselves suddenly confronted by a narrow opening in the wall of the pit. The opening contains a stone door only 2 feet wide and four feet tall. Beyond the opening the area has a narrow ledge, which continues to spiral further downwards into the pit.
Uldar advances to the front "Let me inspect this door"
The halfling takes his time to inspect the stone door for traps of any type.
He disables whatever lock or trap it can be there.
And finally opens very silently the door trying to peer through.
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Uldar doesn't detect any traps or locks. He gently pushes on the door, and it silently slides open. He sticks his head out of the doorway, and sees that the opening grants access to a three-way intersection of wide hallways. The passages are of dressed stone blocks, and have arches, about 30' tall. Unlit torches in sconces appear on the walls approximately every 30 feet down each hallway.
Immediately facing him a hallway, 20 feet wide, runs south 60 feet and contains a closed door on each side at approximately 50 feet.
Two his left and right, (east and west) a hallway, 20 feet wide, runs past the doorway about 70 feet in each direction. For at least 100 feet of its length, this long corridor is covered with bones. Skeletons of humans and humanoids are mixed in a terrible jumble. Many skulls and loose bones seem gnawed. The complete skeletons, though, still wear sundered armor, dented caps, or sprawl by broken shields. Bent and broken weapons likewise testify to a great melee having taken place here; a hundred, two, perhaps more... all met death here. Further progress along the corridor requires carefully picking a path between these grim remains of the Temple hordes. Nothing of value is immediately discernible.
"Bones. Thousands of bones." whispers Uldar. "I say explore east first."
Uldar tries to find out why they died and when.
He also searches under the bones for what can be hidden before any companion tries to advance.
"This is clean" Uldar advances towards the centre of the corridor, trying to conceal himself between the shadows and not make a lot of noise on stepping over the bones.
He gets a look towards the southern doors and the west, then advances a bit towards the east and waits for the rest of the party to decide.
Trane points at the doors to the south. He points to his eyes and ears.
Uldar nods to Trane and sneaks along the southern corridor trying to listen behind the doors.
Brandor tries to stay as quiet as possible while following along.
Garm attempts to quietly creep along behind the party as they head past the numerous hollow skulls and their deathly staring sockets. The limited illumination coming from Kenz's light stone only served to heighten Garm's apprehension.
Garm's fear serves to increase his carefulness as he deftly maneuvers around the skeletons without touching them.
Kenz sweeps along with the group
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Uldar starts sneaking down the southern corridor, ears and eyes keenly focused on perceiving unknown dangers. Several others of the party make their way into the hallway, Garm managing to make no noise at all!
As the group enters the large hallway, nine human skeletons spring up from the western portion and begin charging east to attack! At the same time, seven gnoll skeletons spring up from the eastern portion and begin charging west to attack!
Can I have a feeling of their intentions? do they talk common?
I continue following along behind the rest of the group, down the narrow steps in the well and through the door into this skeleton-filled hallway. . .
I cast Mage Armor on myself, then do a perception check.
Perception:
Initiative:
Seeing Kalizama cast a preparatory spell, Trane gets the features of a lion.
typical...
Brandor holds up the symbol of his god, and grumbles a chant, casting Bless upon the group.
With resolve Uldar sets a couple of arrows in his shortbow and fires them at two of the creatures approaching the party.
Garm will backpeddle to N5 and cast a Silent Image of a solid stone pillar on the 5 ft square he is in. He is hoping that the likely unintelligent undead will ignore him.
On a separate note, Silent Spell is very cool but don't forget that undead are immune to mind affecting effects! If any of them would be allowed a save versus it they will automatically succeed. Here's hoping they don't like running into pillars.
"Hold a line here. Funny gnome, where's the music?"
Trane steps forward (P7) and readies an bite from the inevitable advance of undead.
The lion steps up on the other side of the human (P5) and follows her masters wishes and readies a bite.