"Hmm, there's some sort of illusion at work here," Lleidr will mutter as he examines the area. He's not a strong enough sorcerer to Dispel it, so he'll try to disbelieve it as he continues his investigation.
If that doesn't work, he'll take out a couple of gold coins and ask someone to coordinate with him to drop them in the slots at the same time.
"Really? You figure it's coin operated?"
The gold sheen of the coins appears to be the illusion. You suspect the column is merely carved stone, not literally gold. However, the pair of coin-sized slots are real.
"Really? You figure it's coin operated?"
Blushing, Lleidr will make the coins disappear into his pouch. "What? No! No, of course not. Don't be silly. Why? What do you think it does?"
"Well... now I think it's coin operated. It wouldn't have occured to me before. You want me to drop one of the coines for you?"
Please, unless the slots are close enough for Lleidr to do it himself, then he'll take the risk himself.
The floor shakes with sound like grinding of stone. In moments, the column has disappeared into the ground. With a rush of stale air, you see a hallway beyond, its floor strewn with chunks of rubble under a cloak of dust and a ceiling dripping with cobwebs.
There's no doubt in your mind that no footsteps have disturbed this place for centuries. And, it only cost you 2 gp.
You can see double doors directly east. There appears to be another set of double doors to the door, partially in view.
Onwards, Nicholae says confidently
Which direction guys? At this point, you've got 3 options:
- exit the dungeon via the north door (the safest bet by far, believe me!)
- explore the eastern hall just opened
- try the southern doors w/ the skeletal carvings
It just cost Lleidr 2 gp, so his vote is to explore the eastern hall.
Yeah, I'm assuming Nich meant eastward as well.
[Morning, Thistletop, 9th Day After Goblin Raid, Thistletop Level Two]
The hallway has 3 obvious passages, in addition to the western doorway you've just entered. There are double doors in the north, east and south walls. A quick description of the south doors: they are made of stone but bear no handles. An indented outline of a seven pointed star, its shape covered by hollows and slits, graces the spot where handles should be. The outline is the exact same shape as the one on the medallion you recovered from Nualia but the medallion is far smaller in size.
The other double doors (north & east walls) are adorned with script very similar to what you saw in the catacombs beneath Sandpoint, but these doors also have elegant metal handles extruding from their stone faces.
I’ve made Perception checks on your behalf for traps, secret doors, etc. You see nothing dangerous. Ned can hear a faint sound coming from the north door, like a person speaking or chanting, but the voice is muffled due to the door. It’s impossible to tell what is being said.
Nich, Selia and Jubrayl: you're aware of a malevolent presence, and the feeling is worse the closer you get to that south door.
Forgot to mention, you also find no secret doors.
There is a dark presence inside that area let me try to see how many foes we will face.
Looks like the door is too thick to allow detection to work.
The door is to thick I can see nothing.
Can we get it open?
"Lleidr? If you would be so kind?" Ned nods at the door. He'll ready his bow and stand back from the doorway.
Guys, which door? there's 3 choices (plus the way you came in), but there's no visible way to open the south doors.
You see no way of opening the south doors.
Well, one way, but we don't have a big version of the medallion to do it. Instead, Lleidr will examine the doors to see if he can bypass the opening mechanism.
Unfortunately, there's nothing exposed on the surface of the doors to allow for manipulation. There's the imprint of the 7 pointed star, but it's literally nothing but an imprint. You see no hinges, no lock, no keyhole.
Lets head back then if this doesn't work, putting the seven pointed star amulet from Nualia on the imprint.
The amulet has no visible effect on the south doors.
Keep in mind, the north & east doors all have handles. Only the south doors appear stuck.
Lleidr will move up to the north set of doors and see if he can make out more clearly what Ned heard earlier.
The voice is male, perhaps an older male, but of what race, you cannot say. Neither can you make out the actual words, but the speech is constant. It reaches a short pause, and then the chant begins anew.
NOTE - just a reminder, cause I think some of you may be confusing what's where, the faint voice is coming from the north door.
Jubrayl will head forward near the door with his bastard sword drawn.
Selia will move behind Hahark and motion for Lleidr to open the door.
Lleidr will look around to make sure everyone's ready then open the door quietly.
Nicholae waits
[Morning, Thistletop, 9th Day After Goblin Raid, Thistletop Level Two]
With a few heavy pushes, the stone doors swing open upon their aged hinges.
This barren room contains an upraised dais on which sits a marble throne. To either side stand statues of a man clutching a book and a glaive. A ghostly figure seems to be seated in the throne, an image of the same man who appears in the statues. He seems to be addressing an audience as he moves his hands about, his fingers decorated with hooked rings, but the words issuing from his phantom mouth are difficult to make out and in a strange language.
Nicholae casts detect magic
We have a scroll of Comprehend Languages if needed.
Detect magic shows a single aura, of the illusion school, centered on the image. The aura is overwhelming in its intensity.
Can anyone understand what it's saying?
Doesn't look like anyone in the party knows this particular language.
Do you guys want Lleidr to use the scroll of comprehend languages?
Sure
Lleidr will take out the scroll, read the spell off it, and translate the illusion's speech for the group.
The repeating words are these:
" ... is upon us, but I command you remain. Witness my power, how
Alaznist’s petty wrath is but a flash compared to my strength. Take my final work to your graves, and let its memory be the last thing you…”
Vanity magic.
Alright, so I guess back out to the south and check out the doors to the east?
I"ll assume party is in agreement and proceed with you opening the east door. Unfortunately, photobucket is down right now, so I don't have a map image to share. I'll get one for you soon.
[Morning, Thistletop, 9th Day After Goblin Raid, Thistletop Level Two]
The double doors open revealing a 10' wide stair which steps down for 10' into an oval shaped room, roughly 10x20 feet, with the longer side running north to south.
This room contains three low tables, their tops covered with a strange and chilling selection of tools, saws, long-bladed knives, and objects whose purpose is not readily apparent. A strange collection of bones lies near the southern table—too many to be one skeleton, but too few to be two.
Urrgh, Nicholae articulates. Where next?
Lleidr will suddenly look around a little less dull-eyed and say, "This room reminds me of the one we found a few days ago in those catacombs we explored when we were trying to track down Tsuto from beneath the Glassworks. Now that I think about it, the doors of the cells off of that torture room had the same star symbol on them as Nualia's medallion and that set of doors we can't open. Remember the deformed skeletons we found in them? That's about the same amount of bones each of them had, I betcha."
Creepy as it is, we should give things a once over. Lleidr will look over the tools for anything that stands out as unusual, and around the room, checking for hidden doors.
You don't find any hidden exits from this room.
The skeleton seems to have belonged to a two-headed man with an additional partial skeleton of a smaller man growing from the small of his back.
The surgical tools are of exquisite make and likely valuable. On the easternmost table is an object that's not a tool at all! It's a silver & gold seven-pointed star; one surface is studded with nodules and blades while the other has a thin, curved handle.
"The door key, you think?"
The star you just found does seem about the right size & shape of the impression on the southern doors.