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Two statues frame the doorway, appearing to be smaller versions of the giant statues in the canyon - armored warriors with shields and swords.
As you enter the open doorway, you notice there is a stone basin immediately inside the entrance, which contains water. A series of spigots circles the top of the basin, each dribbling water.
To your left the hallway ends abruptly, and there is a hole in the floor that open into darkness below. It appears that something has used the hole in the past, as the east edge is worn smoother than the other edges.
To your right the hallway runs approximately 30 feet and then turns south.
Fener takes the potiion and coins from the ogre.
He wont be needing these
Fener after viewing the basin. move over to the hole and study's the worn edges and looks for tracks.
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Gezzo takes the waterskin from the ogre and pours out the contents. He takes the now empty skin and an empty potion flask from his bags to the basin to be filled with the holy water.
Looking around, he tries to recognize any religious significance of this place.
I head to M15 and look around the corner
Nästród follows Thorgrim to help him look.
Nästród goes back to Imowen.
"Imowen, can you check this out? I suspect a trap."
I hope it isn't barred, we'll need a pretty big ram to break those down..
Argyros follows alone behind Thorgrim, carefully surveying the area as he proceeds
Fener calls out to Gezzo in a whisper.
Hey Gezzo, can you see anything down this hole? Maybe you can hold onto the end of my staff and I can lower you down so you can see whats down there.
I reply to Nästród, Sure. I can check it out. I move to M-17 and assess the door.
Perception, finding traps:
Disable Device:
Nästród will be ready to run forward and defend Imowen should something come through that door.
Gezzo peers down into the hole and tries to see if anything is inside.
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Your examination of the hole in the floor reveals that it appears to have been purposely man-made. You detect a faint current of air rising from the hole, and it emits an unusual, barely detectable odor, something of an acrid chemical nature.
Noting that none of my companions are rushing up to open the door, I proceed to do it myself, slowly pushing on the heavy door, eagerly anticipating what wonders will be revealed . . .
Perception:
Fener casts light on the end of his rope and lowers the lighted end into the hole to see how deep it goes.
Gezzo, I'm curious why someone would cut a hole here
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Fener lowers his lighted rope down the hole. After passing down through approximately 20 feet of rock, the hole opens at the other end to some sort of larger space. Below the hole you can see part of a large metal tank with a glass top that appears to hold a dark green liquid. A number of pipes and hoses are attached to the tank, and the liquid appears to be circulating.
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Celif (examining the floor symblos): Ugh! How awful! We must do something to get rid of this desecration!
Fener pulls up the rope hoping no one below noticed.
He goes back to the group and says.
Hey, that hole down there is strange. It goes down about 20 ft and there is a tank full of some sort of green liquid. The stuff smells strange, not natural.
After examining this room, I holler out to Gezzo, Hey, Gezzo! Please bring me one of your wateskins with Holy Water so I can remove the desecration on the floor in here!
Then we can proceed further, to the east I think.
"Very evil magic in there. I wouldn't walk on it until we remove the taint of Saklas."
Gezzo walks over to Imowen with the waterskin. He looks around the room with disgust carefully checking for traps or items of significance. He tries to identify the identity of the symbols and their meaning.
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The evil of that witch! We must hurry before Cayden is corrupted by her filth
Gezzo hands the waterskin to Imowen and then turns back to the hole. He stands in the back of the group with sword drawn.
That rooms needs to be cleansed, but I don't trust that hole either.
I take the waterskin from Gezzo and say, Thank you, Gezzo. I am not sure if he heard me or not.
I then uncork the waterskin and proceed to pour the Holy Water all over the painted symbols desecrating the floor, making sure to cover all of the markings completely. Then I wait to see what happens.
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Imowen pours the Holy Water over the unholy markings on the floor. As she does so, you witness the clash of opposing powers - positive and negative energies collide, and the markings seem to undulate and pulse as they are distorted by the water. The markings become runny and come undone, and soon the floor lies wet, but cleansed.
Flug follows quietly, not drawing any attention to himself as he watches the party's back.
A dispute over ownership of the swamp or custody of a child is one thing, serving the lord of Chaos and desecrating a holy place are something else.
Argyros readies Llafn Du, no longer convinced the witch has any intentions of negotiating in good faith.
I kick open the southern door in the formerly desecrated room, axe and shield ready
Nästród moves up to help Thorgrim if he gets attacked.
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Thorgrim and Nastrod approach the south door, and Thorgrim gives it a kick. Amazingly, the door is not locked or latched! The door swings open with a loud BANG! They immediately feel a wave of evil wash over them, pouring out of the room through the doorway!
The room is unusual, being diamond-shaped with four square vaults along the sides. Rubble is strewn in places around the floor, and beside each vault a figure stands. They resemble the Beastmen, each a mixture of humanoid and animals, a hideous conglomeration of someone combining various parts to create new creatures.
The figures seem not to react to the noise of the door being violently opened, but one by one they turn their heads and stare at you...and you start to experience the odor of dry, rotting flesh. Pieces of bone are visible through wasted and necrotic musculature. Then...as one...they extend clawed appendages at the end of their misshapen limbs, and start toward you!
I think to myself, "So much for planning on going through the east door .. ." I ready myself for the upcoming battle, shortswords in hands, and move up to M-21 behind Thorgrim.
Initiative:
Flug turns his head. "Hm?"
That doesn't sound good . . .
Will Save: