Xanos adds the scrolls to the back section of his book, save for one which he hands to Shulme. "A basic Blessing, I believe."
"This arrow is enchanted to channel an electrical charge to it's target. These others I am unsure of. If I had to guess, given the predictable nature of our benefactor, I would guess the others possess similar enchantments for other energies..."
He continues, giving a laundry list of the potion effects, letting others decide who will end up with what.
While the arcanically-inclined members of the group determine the purpose of the items, Cain puts himself to good use by carefully checking the southern door for traps, then pressing his ear against it.
Realizing that the small thief has as much or more to offer in this particular capacity, the were-wolf motions her over, offering her the chance to double-check his work.
Gwyn comes forward, but for some reason can't seem to focus on the task at hand. Maybe it was the sound of the metal snakes trying to escape their confines that had her distracted?
"Snakes, why'd it have to be snakes. I'm terrified of snakes. I hate snakes!"
As the casters look through the loot and the scouts look ahead, Teon stands, looking rather bored.
Gwyn comes forward, but for some reason can't seem to focus on the task at hand. Maybe it was the sound of the metal snakes trying to escape their confines that had her distracted?
Shulme accepts the scroll and looks it over silently, then tucks it away somewhere.
"Seems to be all clear. Do you want to go first or should I?"
Gwyndolin looks up at Cain in his canine form and almost falls over backwards when she finally notices that she is indeed working with a werewolf.
"H-h-h-h-have y-y-you a-always b-been ab-b-b-b-ble t-t-to d-d-d-do th-th-th-that?"
Cain's lips peel back in a lupine grin, long teeth flashing in the wavering light. "I told you you'd enjoy meeting my family… this'll have to do." His yellow eyes -- flashing golden in the reflected lights of the room's torches -- survey the rest of the group… seeing that the gear distribution effort is nearly finished.
"I'll go first." His feral grin returns, "You be ready to do that nasty flank-and-shank you did so well in Branderscar." Pocketing the two vials tossed to him, the were-wolf switches back to his bow, giving the group a few seconds to get into position before he eases the door open as quietly as possible.
Teon stands ready, his staff (crossbow) held before him once more.
Gwyn giggles at the mention of Banderscar, the experience with Cain during their escape is enough to calm the poor girl's nerves.
"Th-that was a lot of fun, except that last bit. Bleeding is not one of my favorite things to do."
Twin knives, closer to swords in length than daggers, twirl about in her hands before the slightly built thief drops into a light-footed stance beside the door. She gives Cain a grin full of child-like glee before saying, "Lungs or kidneys?"
Heading through the door to the south, another inscription and another door make itself visible. The inscription upon the door says...
“Suffer not the fool. Stupidity is our faith’s cardinal sin.”
Upon a podium in the center of the room sits a pendant, that of a dragon with sapphire colored eyes. To the east is a stairway leading up.
Gwyn's grin turns into a look of incredulity and suspicion when she sees the inscription, and then the amulet.
"This screams 'trap'."
Gwyn sheathes her knives and carefully makes her way to the podium. When there she looks all over the podium and the pendant before turning to the others in the room and down the hall.
After several minutes of closely scrutinizing the podium and the pendant, Gywn stands up and grabs the pendant.
"Nevermind. I'm just paranoid."
About to say something as Gwyn announces the podium clear, Xanos opens his mouth but is too slow to respond. Gwyn grabs the pendant before he can voice his thoughts.
He sighs and calmly steps a ways backward.
Grabbing the pendant off the podium....nothing happens.
Price looks around the room before turning her attention to the pendant, and nearly has a heart attack when Gwyn pulls it off the podium. She glances at it both magically and in a mundane fashion .
I am sure I speak for everyone when I say that was far to easy. Especially given the catechism that has been written on each of the doors.
In addition you are able to locate a secret door in the wall to the west leading further in.
Price winks at Teon. "Get out of my head. This is a necklace, not necessarily the necklace. Look, the eyes are just colored glass... It's a ruse, if not a trap. Also, there is a door hidden on the west wall. I'd say our path is onward."
Shulme nods.
"Not what we seek, then. Lead on, Cain."
Price follows Shulme's eyes to the werewolf and smiles. She resists the urge to scratch his chest.
I wonder... if I scratched him just right, would his leg go crazy?
Price wisely decides to leave her curiosity unsatisfied - fairly certain that Cain would likely tear her throat out for the impertinence of it.
Cain nods at Shulme, but he can feel his old friend's eyes on him. He looks at her looking at him, and he puts one dark-furred hand to his muzzle, "What? Something in my teeth?"
After a few seconds of doing that tooth-sucking thing that old folks do, he gives up with a shrug. "So do we go up the stairs? Only door I remember us not taking was more than a few rooms back."
"Eh, stairs' are probably trapped anyway."
Gwyn starts twirling the necklace in a a slow lazy circle while looking at where price said the door was.
"Anyway, I think Price that there was a door over here, Cain. Might be that our friends in low places like the subterfuge. Catch."
Gwyn tosses the necklace to Cain.
Cain snatches the necklace out of the air, haphazardly hanging it by its chain around the pedestal on his way by. "I think they think they're too clever for their own good."
He follows the women over to the secret door, giving Gwyn first crack at trap detection and lock-breaking. When she indicates that it's trap-free, the were-wolf presses one long ear up against the false-wall section.
Opening the doorway, the passage wraps around to another door, upon which lies the inscription...
“Secrecy is our greatest ally. Exposure brings death.”
As you wander the passage, Cain's watchful eye reveals another passage, a secret doorway at the end of the corridor leading south, along the west wall. Which way should you pass through?
"I hate to say it... but it might be time to crack open a Vanishing potion."
"Hope not, I'd rather save those for something special."
Gwyn squeezes by and stops just short of the ogre. She has a moment of hesitation, a second where she was balanced on a razor's edge between giving in to her fear and relying on her experience with Grumblejack.
This is bloody ridiculous! I'm scared of him when he's helped us and hasn't even moved to so much as ruffle my hair. Just remember that he's big, you're little, and you need to be polite and respectful.
She lets out a sigh and just like that the fear is gone.
"'Scuse me Grumbles, I need to get at the door."
Cain stops at a seemingly unimportant point in the wall, leaning close and running two large fingers along a naerly-invisible groove in the stone. He looks at Gwyn, "Hidden door." He looks up at the inscription on the more obvious door and grunts, "I say we try this one first... ya know, and use our greatest ally." He gives it a cursory check for traps, then leans his ear once again against the secret door.
Opening the secret door reaveals a short passage, with another door leading to the south. It too has an inscription upon it...
"Beware the fallen for they may rise once more to threaten you."
"S!!*!" the were-wolf grunts as he steps away from the door, "While I can't hear anything, my coins are on there being the walking dead behind there." His golden eyes flit between Price and Xanos. "Anyone know how to fight'em?"
Gwyn turns almost bone-white as the blood drains from her face. Nightmares from half a lifetime ago come rushing from the shadowy depths of her childhood memories. Fear gripped her in an iron vice and her heart races as her knees buckle.
"D-doesn't th-the sun d-d-destory them?"
No but if you have a sieve, then they have to count the holes.
Xanos steps forward and holds a hand up. "A moment."
He seems to be considering something...
"The same way as you fight the living, often enough. Sometimes there are better ways, though..."
The tall sorcerer leans on his spear, glancing at Xanos.
"Something up your sleeve?"
"If we're lucky, these creatures are only triggered by the trap in the main room. If so, we may be able to destroy them while they do nothing but stand waiting. I'm assuming the Cardinal is smarter than that - so we can expect a fight."
"Perhaps. I will have to release them to find out."
You're knowledge of undead. Only slightly Smart-allecky.
UndeadUndead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. An undead creature has the following features.
• d8 Hit Die.
• Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total Hit Dice (medium progression).
• Good Will saves.
• Skill points equal to 4 + Int modifier (minimum 1) per Hit Die. Many undead, however, are mindless and gain no skill points or feats. The following are class skills for undead: Climb, Disguise, Fly, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Perception, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, and Stealth.
Traits: An undead creature possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature's entry).
• No Constitution score. Undead use their Charisma score in place of their Constitution score when calculating hit points, Fortitude saves, and any special ability that relies on Constitution (such as when calculating a breath weapon's DC).
• Darkvision 60 feet.
• Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).
• Immunity to bleed, death effects, disease, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning.
• Not subject to nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Constitution, Dexterity, and Strength), as well as to exhaustion and fatigue effects.
• Cannot heal damage on its own if it has no Intelligence score, although it can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures. The fast healing special quality works regardless of the creature's Intelligence score.
• Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
• Not at risk of death from massive damage, but is immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points.
• Not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect undead creatures. These spells turn undead creatures back into the living creatures they were before becoming undead.
• Proficient with its natural weapons, all simple weapons, and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
• Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
• Undead do not breathe, eat, or sleep.
In any case, before what ever happens, I might as well take care of this Teon downs the potion of Lesser Restoration.
That was less than I had hoped for. Still, I feel that I am still up to the task.
HP 18/18 THP 17/21
AC 21 T 11 FF 20
CMD 17 FF 16
F/R/W +1/+1/+3
Spells
1 2/3
Eidelon, Eidelon at -1 Con, Bless, Mage Armor
"Price just said "trap", right? Maybe it can be disabled and we can just sneak past and hope that whatever it is doesn't come after us."
Gwyn regains a little of her composure, and manages not to be quivering in fear at the prospect of having to fight things she would much rather be running or hiding from.
I believe that is your and Cains department. Go ahead.
"Well, we can't sit here all day. Thinking back on what Timeon said... the main room is likely to have a 'screamer' attracted to light or movement that will draw some undead from either this room or somewhere else. The 'movement' part concerns me. If the 'screamer' senses life-force like some undead or something equally diabolic - we've had it. We can't sneak by without elaborate preparations. If all we need is silence and darkness then Cain could handle that. Or I could possibly not botch the job... but getting everyone through could be a trick."
Price weighs the choices, "Given the unknowns... I think we are better off trying this secret room. We may run into fewer undead than we would otherwise and can possibly get the jump on them, if they don't animate immediately. Thoughts?"