The Runelords? This place is old. "I'm not sure, but we best watch our step in this place. It has some sort of association to the Runelords, and that can't be good."
Knowledge (history) check to see what Maus knows about the Runelords:
"What are these Runelords?"
"They were Sorceror-Kings who ruled over what is no Varisia and much of the west coast of Avistan. Their empire came to ruin with Earthfall." Sweeps his hand around the room. "All that remains are locations such has this."
"My mentor did not mention these happenings. Odd, since we appear to have built this Cathedral overtop of a well established ruin." Maus ponders what he has been taught and what he has apparently not been. He fiddles with his holy symbol for a while in thought.
"The goddess wills" he finally answers to himself.
"Which way then brother?" as he maneuvers his back to the East exit and gestures North and West.
Sorcerer-kings....great. I'm liking this place more and more, Cilda thought sarcasticly.
"I'm all for going straight ahead," Cilda says, motioning to the door in front of her. "Anyone feel otherwise?"
Natty enters the dark chamber, taking his time to look around, but his alertness is hampered by his continual following of the maiden Cilda with the corner of his eyes. So quick, so direct, how long she live, is fun! he chortles to himself, watching for the others reaction to his sound.
"Dwarf know much, you know these old kings? You tell Natty, I looks for hiding places." He nods his head feigning deference to the intelligent dwarf, before heading north as Cilda goes that way.
"Cilda, Kings always keep they take, even when dead. No share with living, best I look for King's surprise." says the grumbling half-orc as he gets to Cilda. He holds up his hand to stop her going forward, before his hand touches the floor in front of the door, then looks at the door and its lock.
Lets move people
So, barring Natty finding a trap on the Northern door, we move in. Weapons at the ready and perception on high beams.
Cilda backs off and lets the creepy Natty do his thing with the door, weapon drawn and fully prepared to bust through and attack whatever lies ahead.
The door is solid, and there appears to be no doorknob or keyhole
"hmm.. perhaps we will be going West?"
"West works for me. Anything that gets us out of this stupid empty room."
"But..."
Cilda sets down her weapon against a wall and pulls her crowbar out from her backpack.
"This should probably get the door to open if it won't cooperate."
Further Perception checks to find any missed clues:
Perception
and/or maybe a sense motive to determine if the previous writing was a clue to this room?
Reminder so you don't have to go search:
Old carvings cover the walls of this square chamber, thick with dust and cobwebs. Three sets of stone double doors stand in the three facing walls. Heavy bronze seals emblazoned with the symbol of Pharasma secure the doors against whatever lies beyond.
newer writing on the north wall, written in common. It reads as "My heart beats on the wrong side of my chest, or is it right? Is left right, or is it wrong? I don’t know what it means, or why"
Are there any other details about the room that we may have glossed over?
Ral is now walking with his falchion drawn
Maus will try what he feels the writing is indicating but says out loud first:
"I believe that I could open the door to the right, which would be East, by placing my hand on a brass seal and praying to my goddess, thereby putting my heart into it, but I would like your input before doing so? I may have misinterpreted?"
"Go for it then, if you think that will work."
By all means
Maus will put his theory to test...
In the mean time, Choztu asks, "Let me have a closer look at that door." Indicating the one Cilda is attempting to pry open.
Cilda growls at the wizard trying to interfere with her attempts to force open the door. "Can it really not wait?" she tells the dwarf. She does, however, take two steps back.
Int check
Gah! The bell... Would any one be averse to the priest of Pharasma being the bearer?
Maus will ring it near the brass on the North door.
Natty watches the holy man do his thing, whilst he stands by the door ready to stick anything that might rush out. His scratchy voice offers words of encouragement. "Holy man, the portal serve god is yours, must be very holy man." Natty fondles the head of his mace in one hand, then spits on one side, rubbing the spittle into the metal. "My pretty" he smiles.
You ring the bell at the north door, and without fail, the door opens. As you walk into this long corridor, several alcoves are seen.
Bodies wrapped in age-yellowed linens lie in alcoves lining both sides of this wide corridor. Thick cobwebs hang from the ceiling and drape the walls of the crypt; everything is coated in a deep layer of dust. There are a set of double doors at the opposite end.
Doesn't notice anything particularly unusual while walking down the corridor.
I see nothing.
Natty feels at home in the shadowy corridor, though he's not sure around all these dead things. "Lots dead, don't like, tales of living dead, bad things." he grumbles to himself under his breath as he walks along.
Cilda, likewise, does not spot anything unusual, but is not incredibly put off by the dead bodies surrounding them. After all, they're all dead. She has put away the crowbar and again has her weapon prepared.
Perception
Religion if passed
"Be at ease companions. The dead are more at peace than the living. We should leave them thus. These symbols on the floor, they appear to be symbols of my goddess but an older variant. I will ask my mentor about these when we return above."
Maus holds the sun rod high and inspects the alcoves but stays in the main passage.
Perception
Maus is oblivious is his wonderment
Unless something dreadful occurs, Maus will proceed to the doors on the far side of the room. "Natty can you check for surprises?"
No one notices anything out of the blue...
Three spiders scurry out from three of the dead bodies and attack Maus. There bodies appear to be skulls.
All three spiders jump on Maus and get ready to attack him
The three spiders hiss at Maus and attempt to bite him again
Two spiders sink their poisoned barbs right into Maus.
Fort save #1
Fort save #2
If survived and not unconscious, Maus will 5 foot step back and throw a dagger at one.
if hit: Damage
So it looks like affected by one bite and a dagger clanks off the mausoleum floor...
Cilda looks at Spider #1 and sees an easy, squishable target. She swings the weapon down on it with all her might.
But Cilda is unable to hit, and her weapon bounces off the floor.
Ralthak swings at the nearest spider with his falchion.
He also misses.
"Thank you friends for coming to my aid. May the Lady of Graves bless you!"
Takes one hand off of his crossbow, points at one of the spiders, and says, "Dissolve."
A glowing green dart flies from his amulet towards the spider, but sails harmlessly down the corridor.