Thom and Arishat pore over the map. It is clear that the Skullbreakers cartography skills are lapsed here. The area marked as the pool chamber bears little resemblence to the area they visited.
Now that the arcane mist as ceased and battle is no longer raging, Thom senses a further arcane barrier to the north, but can see no way of breaking through it at this time.
Thom mutters something vile in the Abyssal tongue under his breath. "Looks like we are gonna need to backtrack here. Hopefully we can find that doorway this key is for."
Thom prods and pokes at the ground and has a revelation. This is merely the first floor. Somewhere below more chambers exist. The shallowness of the pool room is explained - any deeper and it would have intruded on what lies beneath. Thinking back, he wonders if the chapel may not be a likely spot. The illusions surrounding the area were particularly strong.
"I'll bet there is a floor beneath this one. If we head back to the chapel, I am sure there is a passageway leading down from there."
"All right then. Let's go and find a door."
Making your way back through the laboratory to the chapel, you see that Thom's hunch is correct. Unnoticed and unnoticeable before, you now see that between the pews lies a shallow depression. Looked at more closely, it wriggles slightly before becoming a shadowly flight of stairs leading downwards.
"Sure, seems like a good plan to me. Remember we still are under the effects of my ritual too."
Raya sends her lantern down into the darkness. As far as she can see, the steps seem to end in a ten foot wide hallway, but beyond that she can tell nothing.
Lynore grumbles and smoothly slides down the stairs checking for traps as she goes.
Arishat will be third.
Looks like Thom will be bringing up the rear (as usual).
Lanthair follows near the middle of the group, eyes alert and limbs tense.
She considers the ritual used upon them, "So..combat tends to negate it temporarily. Interesting. I would think the Skullbreakers would have great use for this sort of magic."
"We traded it to them in exchange for certain considerations. They seemed quite pleased by the exchange."
At the bottom of the stairs, the passage widens into a pillar lined hallway. Staring at you is the all-too familiar greenstone face of the Devourer. The green face is set in a mass of fractured rock, seemingly ripped wholesale from some other location. It is disfigured with black scorch marks and roughly carved glyphs.
Lynore examines the all too familiar face.
Once Lynore has moved out of the way Thom will enter the crypt and use his arcane sense to detect for any magical auras.
Thom eases himself into Lynore's vacated spot, but beyond a strong feeling that this is a trap, can't identify any triggers at this distance.
"I don't really like the idea I've just had, but if someone has to approach that I think it should be me. It looks like some sort of fire trap, and tieflings aren't the most flammable."
Lynore takes off her goggles and hands them to Arishat, here have a look through these when you look for the trap.
Arishat advances suspiciously, Lynore's goggles perched incongruously on her nose. She looks studiously at the door and sees that each scarred eye socket contains a keyhole.
Once Arishat has both keys, she advances on the face. Before attempting anything, she takes a closer look at the door. . If she sees nothing amiss, she inserts both keys into the keyholes at the same time, and then turns them.
Arishat just has time to register that as expected, this was a trap before necrotic energy engulfs her and tries to take over her mind.
Barel's short legs are indeed often at the front of the line...it is easier to control the pace that way.
Lynore stalks behind a pillar and seems to fade away.
Lynore ducks prudently behind a pillar in a blur of shadows while Raya heads down the hallway towards Arishat, gauntlet at the ready once more.
Lanthair fans out in the other direction, hoping to approach the trap and help disarm it.
Thom thinks, Great, this is gonna hurt...hope I can get there in time... as he picks up his robes and hurries across the chamber standing close to the paladin.
Barel steps forward, and tries to interpose himself between Thom and the alter.
Barel plods stoically towards the Devourer and plants himself between the smirking greenstone face and Thom. Devil fires leaping in her eyes, Arishat thunders towards Raya.
The trapped face unleashes itself once more on the only available target and misses as Lynore keeps behind her pillar.
Lynore sneaks up to the face and goes to work on the arcane device with fervor.
Arishat looks quite cheerful as she attempts to run through Raya.
Arishat's attack misses the paladin, but not for want of trying and her eyes remain alight with jovial hellfire.
Lynore heads for the door and does her best, starting the process of disabling. In response, the trap triggers again, and misses again.
|
Guardian Iatos raises her shield in time, "Saw it coming that time at least. Well then..."
Raya steps past Arishat and Barel, as she rushes the devourer's trap, her sword gleaming behind her.
Ardent Strike vs AC damage
Raya then invokes her holy symbol to ensure she has the trap's complete attention.
She gives a weak smile to Lynore, "Don't worry..." She drops her blade, "I'll be unarmed."
Lanthair approaches the trap and tries to assist in disarming it.
Thom smiles at Arishat, "Sorry, I have a prior engagement, my dear!" He then hustles off to assist in the disarming.
Ignoring Arishat's sinister smile the companions huddle around the trap. Raya chops a chunk of stonework loose and offers herself up as a tempting target while Lanthair gets to work trying to disarm the menace. Hard on his heels, and eager to break the enchantment, Thom hops enthusiastically, looking for space.
Barel looks hard at Arishat and then calls her out, "Come get me if you dare!" and then rolls his eyes towards the others in the group and says (slightly more quietly), "I will keep Arishat in check, you keep working on that altar."