"Say, that wolf bite didn't hurt you too much, did it Urg? If we make it back to town, I can whip up some liniment in a jiffy."
"Um, that's all right. You don't have to, really. It's just a scratch." Surely, that couldn't be fear in the orc's voice, could it?
As the two lead spots are taken, Urg takes the rear guard position.
Valgrim slashes an opening in the web with his axes, sending dozens of tiny spiders skittering off in all directions. Fortunately there is no sign of any larger arachnoids with maternal instincts.
Beyond the webs a short flight of stairs downwards is revealed as the passage continues deeper into the mountain. The stairway descends into an immense square domed chamber (about 70 feet across).
Seven short tunnels branch from the room in all directions, extending some thirty feet before ending in rounded walls. At the terminus of each passage, a thick chain dangles from an unseen high ceiling. Five of the chains bear colorful lanterns, but two hold nothing at all. Opposite the entry stairs, a bright green lantern containing what looks like a torch casts a weird, murky light about the room. Countless chips of glass and shiny metal inset into the chamber’s domed ceiling reflect this light, giving the impression of starlight and falling snow. The dome starts about ten feet off the ground and reaches an apex about thirty feet over the center of the room.
Below the dome’s peak, a long dais holds what appears to be a marble sarcophagus. A milky white bas-relief figure, perhaps of a human, rests passively upon the sarcophagus lid. Unlike the rest of the tomb, this room is completely silent.
Valgrim slowly approaches the marble sarcophagus, waraxe in hand.
Vug Vang searches around for traps.
Perception:
Urg joins Valgrim, also holding his axe.
"Oh my, this is spectacular!"
Bubba looks for magical auras.
A wide dais spanning the back half of the western wing calls attention to a faded fresco upon the south, west, and north walls. From a vantage point at the center of the dais, the wall painting makes it look like you stand within a massive room with seven short hallways radiating outward from a central point. A chain dangles from the ceiling at the end of each hallway, and each chain bears a gleaming colored lantern. Clockwise, the colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
There are no obvious traps to be found, and no enemies to be seen. Bubba registers faint evocation magic coming from the hallways with lit lanterns (orange, yellow, green, blue and violet), and also faint evocation from the sarcophagus.
Chisora looks at the fresco but soon turns away and follows everyone back down into the domed room. Seeing that it mirrors the fresco, she looks around, suddenly more alert. Taking a quick look down each of the branching corridors, she thinks for a momnet then whispers to Friar Feres. "Didn't we find a purple lantern in the Wolf den back there? Could it be possible that it is connected with this room somehow?"
Without waiting for a reply, she moves forward towards the sarcophagus and examines it closely, paying careful attention for any traps and seams that she can find.
Chisora finds no traps, but there are some other interesting features with the sarcophagus.
The lid bears a white stone relief of a tall figure cloaked in a simple
garment of flowing cloth. It’s difficult to say why, exactly, but the outfit conjures thoughts of ancient times. The figure at first looks human, but a cursory examination reveals that it is about 7 feet tall,
is completely hairless, and is of indeterminate sex. Its arms and hands rest at its side. The left hand curls upon itself in a fist, but the right is placed palm up, with the thumb turned in and all but the
index finger held parallel to the arm. The index finger is broken off and missing.
The figure wears a scarab-like amulet around its neck, inscribed with a glyph similar to the one on the broken mirror, but different.
Knowledge (arcana/history) DC 20:
The sarcophagus rests upon a small raised platform carved in the shape of a stylistic arrow, with the tip aligned with the head of the relief figure upon the lid and a short shaft extending from the foot of the sarcophagus. It's currently pointing towards the orange lantern, but it feels like it could be moved (but only clockwise).
Chisora can find no traps, but there are a number of other interesting features about the sarcophagus.
The lid bears a white stone relief of a tall figure cloaked in a simple garment of flowing cloth. It’s difficult to say why, exactly, but the outfit conjures thoughts of ancient times. The figure at first looks human, but a cursory examination reveals that it is about 7 feet tall, is completely hairless, and is of indeterminate sex. Its arms and hands rest at its side. The left hand curls upon itself in a fist, but the right is placed palm up, with the thumb turned in and all but the index finger held parallel to the arm. The index finger is broken off and missing.
The figure wears a scarab-like amulet around its neck, inscribed with a glyph of the same kind as the one on the broken mirror, but different.
Knowledge (arcana) DC 20:
The sarcophagus rests upon a small raised platform carved in the shape of a stylistic arrow, with the tip aligned with the head of the relief figure upon the lid and a short shaft extending from the foot of the sarcophagus. It currently points toward the orange lantern, but it seems like it could be moved by pushing it (but only clockwise).
"Seems like some sort of puzzle. But there are 5 lanterns hanging on chains and there are 7 hallways. We found one lantern, so we're still one short. Ideas?"
While he asks, Valgrim looks for an apparent exit (such as a door) to this huge chamber.
There are no visible exits, and no doors anywhere.
Chisora examines the scarab amulet to see if it can be removed from the figure.
Bubba is also at the sarcophagus.
"There are magic auras emanating from this sarcophagus, and from the hallways. The lantern we found was not magical. And I think you are right, this does seem like a puzzle of some kind."
Bubba pauses for a second, then continues his speech.
"The colors of the lanterns are all the colors of the rainbow, and I believe we have the indigo lantern."
Bubba pauses again.
"I believe I have seen a glyph like this before," he says, pointing to the amulet "It is the personal inscription of a powerful elemental being if I remember correctly. As far as ideas about what to do, this is what I think: we need to find the missing lantern, then we need to hang that one and the one we have in their correct locations according to the order of the colors in the rainbow. Then maybe we should point the sarcophagus at the first color, which is red."
The amulet is part of the sculpture and cannot be removed. The missing lantern is red. The five lanterns that are in place are all lit.
"So there's supposed to be a red lantern here? Then where is it?"
"Well, shall we light and hang the indigo lantern in the hallway corresponding with the fresco?" Feres asks.
"A powerful elemental being..." Chisora ponders. "Should we see if he's home?" With that, she attempts to push the lid of the Sarcophagus from the top so that it pivots in the middle.
Strength Check:
"A powerful elemental being..." Chisora ponders. "Should we see if he's home?" With that, she attempts to push the lid of the Sarcophagus from the top so that it pivots in the middle.
Strength Check: 1d20 + 1
Chisora isn't quite strong enough to move the sarcophagus by herself. Maybe with a little help...
"A powerful elemental being..." Chisora ponders. "Should we see if he's home?" With that, she attempts to push the lid of the Sarcophagus from the top so that it pivots in the middle.
Strength Check: 1d20 + 1
"A powerful elemental being..." Chisora ponders. "Should we see if he's home?" With that, she attempts to push the lid of the Sarcophagus from the top so that it pivots in the middle.
Strength Check: 1d20 + 1
The lid slides off the sarcophagus and releases a burst of flame that envelops Chisora. The sarcophagus is empty inside.
Vug's eyes widen in delight at the burst of flame. "WOW!! That was f-fantastic! I wonder if it would do the same thing a second time? Maybe we should try closing the lid and opening it again."
She stops for a second and adds, rather lamely, "Uh..Chisora, are you all right?"
Reflex Save:
Chisora manages to lean backwards at the last second and avoids the full burst of the shooting flames. She isn't quite quick enough to miss all of them though and some manage to scorch her shoulder as she goes. She takes a step back to compose herself and waves off Vug's querie with a curt "I'm fine"
She does however want a closer look at the inside of the Sarcophagus. Maybe there's a hidden compartment somewhere?
Perception Check:
You can't find any hidden compartment.
"Be careful, child. That trap may be a sense of things to come. We must tread carefully. We should light and hang thee lantern. And then it seems our only option is to turn the coffin. What do ye think?"
There is a simple hook in the end of the empty chain where you suppose the indigo lantern should go. As for lighting it, there is room inside for a torch if you could spare one.
Valgrim also notices a peculiarity in the floor right under the chain: a 5 foot circle carved into the stone floor.
As you move about the room you also notice a skeleton lying in a heap below the blue lantern.
Heal/Knowledge (nature) DC 15:
Valgrim makes his way toward the skeleton lying in a heap and begins whispering to himself. "What happened to ye, old boy? Messin' around where ye weren't welcome, I bet. Now, if ye spring to life and attack me, I'm going to put yer down, but fer good, so I'd suggest ye stay dead." With that, Valgrim grabs the skeleton by its legs and drags it from under the blue lantern so he can get a better look.
Know: nature
Vug Vang lights another torch and puts it in the indigo lantern. "Oh...I can't wait to see what happens next! I hope I don't f-fall a long distance like this poor sap did," she notes, pointing at the crushed skeleton.
"How is that possible?" Bubba looks up at the ceiling.
"Oh...I can't wait to see what happens next! I hope I don't f-fall a long distance like this poor sap did," she notes, pointing at the crushed skeleton.
"Fall? From where?" Valgrim looks up and studies the ceiling above the blue lantern.
Perception:
While Valgrim is distracted with the ceiling, Urg keeps his eyes on the skeleton, and his hands on his greataxe.
The ceiling above the blue lantern is higher than that of the other corridors, 50 feet high instead of about 40. At the top, 40 feet up, those of you that have darkvision can discern a passage leading away from the center of the room.
The skeleton (which is probably human) looks too badly mangled to be of any danger to you.
"Tricky little fella." Valgrim heads back to the group and says so all can hear, "There's a passageway above the blue lantern, maybe 40' up. So we have options. Turn coffin or passageway, if we have someone who could scamper up 40' and not fall, like that poor fella."
"Oh! I have a rope and some pitons in here somewhere," Vug says, rummaging in her knapsack. "I bet we could climb up there, or at least I could. I'm not sure about you, Valgrim; your armor is a bit on the heavy side."
She keeps looking and then slaps her forehead. "Whoops! I must have left my rope back in the laboratory. I'd f-f-forget my head if it wasn't glued onto my neck, I swear!"
"I have a rope and grappling hook," Chisora says as she peers up into the gloom. "If one of you can see the ledge, maybe we can hook it on. Although I must admit, I'm not much of a climber. Maybe this will give me some much needed experience in the field."
She pulls out her rope and affixes the grappling hook to the end, passing it to Valgrim as he can obviously see the ledge.
"Before we do any more exploring, let me take care of the bit of damage Urg and Chisora have taken so far," Feres offers.
The priest of Sarenrae raises his holy symbol and invokes the power of the Healing Flame. A warm radiance flows outward from the symbol of Feres' goddess, washing over the explorers and leaving them with a fleeting sensation of basking in the sunlight of a pleasant summer's day.
"There, that should help a bit," Feres smiles as he lowers his holy symbol.
Actually the chain is pretty easy to climb (DC 15), but if you can attach a grappling hook rope to it that would give you a hefty bonus too. But in that case it would be better to send a climber to attach it rather than try to throw it.
"I'm not bad at climbing. Give me the rope and hook."
"I'm not bad at climbing. Give me the rope and hook."
Chisora hands the rope and grappling hook to Urg. "I'll be wanting them back after this."
Urg climbs the chain and sees that the passage goes at least 60 feet straight ahead. Fastening the grapple hook to the chain and letting the rope hang down lowers the Climb DC to 5.
Chisora is the next up the chain. Using the rope to steady herself, she has problems getting the hang of it at first, tangling the rope around her foot. She soon gets it and joins Urg at the top pulling out her Hanbo and renewing the light on it.
Climb Check:
Climb Check:
Leaving Urg to help the others, she moves off down the corridor, checking along the way for any more nasty surprises.
Perception Check:
With the extra assistance, Vug is able to climb up easily (take 10 = 11). "Thanks, Chisora! I'm glad there's some lady with her head screwed on the right way!"
"What's up there anyway? Is it worth climbing up?" Valgrim was looking for any excuse not to climb up the chain. He was no monkey or ferret after all.
"Maybe we will find the missing lamp." Bubba is next up the rope.
"Also, Chirosa is scouting ahead already. If she runs into trouble, she may need your axe, Valgrim."
Valgrim mutters under his breath, "The things I do...at least no one from my clan can see me! How embarassing!"
Vug Vang will try to help Valgrim by pulling up on the chain, etc.
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