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Amarandlon's wayfinder shines the group's way down into the ossuary. The elf is wary and looking about himself as they descend, though he's still startled by the strange creature dropping from the ceiling. As he makes his way around it, he stares at the strange, floating thing.
"That doesn't look like any undead creature I've ever seen," he mutters irritably. "Damn it all..."
On the far side of the room, he unrolls the scroll that he's been carrying under his arm. "A good enough time to try this..."
The writing on the scroll glows, flares, and a sparkling halo of energy surrounds Amarandlon. He tosses the piece of parchment aside. "Right then. Let us get down to business."
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While Jiggo begins to perform the now famous quarterstaff-dance-of-holy-flanking of the Erastilean Church, Amarandlon uses a scroll to protect himself. In the meantime, the two ragers quickly dispatch whatever the creature was.
As the sounds of combat fade away in the underground, you can take a moment to examine the room you arrive into, thanks to your wayfinders.
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.
Io takes his time to check the room and points at a recent graffiti (though still old) that is scrawled on the northern wall. It reads, "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..."
The engravings are recognized as references to the seven runelords of ancient Thassilon.
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"Most interesting," Amarandlon murmurs, walking around the chamber and shining the light from his wayfinder onto the carvings. "These appear to depict scenes from the reigns of the seven Runelords of ancient Thassilon. Now that was an era blessed in their knowledge of magic! If unfortunate in...other ways. I suppose it's reasonable, then, to suppose that this ruin could date from that era, or shortly thereafter. There might be quite valuable, not to mention potent, relics to be found..."
Looking back at the group, he sighs. "I suppose these are the seals to which the Cryptmistress referred," he says grimly, pulling out the chime. "Which way shall we go?"
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Callan assumes the position to the left of his uncommon adventuring partner Jiggo and nods approvingly as he looks to Amarandlon to "rock the bell."
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"I do wonder what that was..." Amarandlon murmurs, staring at the dead creature that attacked them. "A magical creature of some sort. I wish I knew whether it was wise enough to be allied with whatever is...causing this disturbance." He seems to shake himself slightly, then shrugs. "Ah well. Let us continue, I suppose."
He spends a moment carefully scrutinizing the room, then draws the mithral tube from its resting place and taps it slightly, pointing it toward the northern door.
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Amarandlon comes closer and concentrates on the chime of opening, emitting a "ding" sound, dispelling the pharasman seal on the door. As the seal fade away, the doors open ajar.
When Callan pushes them wide open, he sees bodies wrapped in age-yellow linens that lie in alcoves lining both sides of the wide and dark corridor in front of him. Thick cobwebs hang from the ceiling and drape the walls of the crypt ; everything is coated in a deep layer of dust.
As Callan and Hasshin go in, Io shouts them to stop as he sees shadows moving! Spiders!
Round 1 - Lower Catacombs - Bold may act!
Party
Spiders
The roc instantly attacks, using its beak and claws to tear at the creature to the left.
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Also, Callan smashes a spider and recalls his lessons of biology as vermin blood splashes in the alcove. These are Skull Spiders.
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Hasshin misses widely his hit, blowing to splinters a skeleton in the alcove. The spider tries to sting him but doesn't succeed. Callan quickly blasts the remaining critter in a splash of blood and limbs.
Io takes his time to scan the area but finds no other threat. However, he finds symbols in the catacombs that remind you something.
The symbols are identified as representing Pharasma but seem strangely and subtly different from those used today.
The dwarf checks the next door and gives his okay to move forward.
Callan and Hasshin each push the doors and arrive in a enormous room.
The ceiling of this cavernous chamber vaults to a height of sixty feet, forming an architectural wonder unsupported by any visible columns or buttresses. Forty feet overhead, a wide stone bridge with an elaborately carved railing arches, over the chamber from North to South, joining two sets of massive bronze doors at either end. The central portion of the chamber contains an inlaid spiral symbol, which you immediately identify as being Pharasma's symbol, and is recessed into the floor, with eight staircases leading up to a wide ledge that encircles the room ten feet above. On this ledge stand bronze doors to the East and West. Eight larger-than-life statues stand upon the ledge as well, evenly spaced around the room's circumference. Seven of them are carved from white stone, and the eighth is carved from black stone. The statue carved from white stone are very detailed. Each statue portrays a different figure, though the figures all bear an imperious mien. You all recognize Pharasma's features in the eighth statue.
The party goes in and Io scans quickly the area and finds no signs of threat.
This is the Ossuary's Grand Cathedral, dedicated to Pharasma, though you notice that this place is much different from the Gothic Pharasmin cathedrals of the modern day.
You recognize the statue carved from white stone as the seven runelords of Ancient Thassilon.
Let's make this simple, if you take your time to inspect the statues, you quickly understand that they are all trapped by a "Shocking grasp" trap, except the statue carved from black stone (representing Pharasma) who seems to trigger something else. These trap release electric energy when someone touches it. You think that a successful Disable Device check can disable the traps.
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"Did anyone get stung? No? Good job, everyone." Jiggo cheers as the party moves on.
"Oh. These are the symbols of Pharasma, but they are subtle differences compared to our modern symbols. This place was built long before I was born, so no surprises there!"
"And this is the Ossuary's Grand Cathedral. Once again, it's a little more classic than the modern day Pharasmin Cathedral design."
Jiggo continues to be a tourist and scribbles everything he can down.
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"Everything happened before you were born," Amarandlon mutters crossly as he sheathes his rapier and draws his bow. "You people have the lifespans of gnats." He peers around carefully. "That statue appears to depict Pharasma...perhaps the others are the lords who built this tomb, or are buried here." The elf strides to the center of the chamber and does a quick scan of the room, circling slowly to see whether there's anything hiding.
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Io sneers at Amarandlon and the elf's haughty demeanor.
"Typical elven superiority complex, Ah see..."
Examining the large cathedral and majestic stonework, the dwarf says "Thes is th' ossuary's grand cathedral, dedicated tae Pharasma, though thes place is much different frae th' gothic Pharasmin cathedrals ay th' modern day."
Searching each of the statues, the dwarf adds "These ur aw trapped by a shockin' trap, except th' statue carved frae black representin' Pharasma...seems tae trigger somethin' else. These trap release electric energy when someain tooches it."
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"Hm. That makes sense, Io," Amarandlon says. "I can see complex evocations placed on them. No one touch the white statues! You may set off the trap."
He crosses to the black statue and examines it more carefully, while being careful not to touch it. "This statue seems to have a potent enchantment woven around it...if I seem to lose my mind, restrain me without injury, if you would."
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Amarandlon and Io, down the bridge, both notice something.
Amarandlon casts once again detect magic and sees that there is an aid enchantment on Pharasma's statue.
Io, on the other hand, taking his time, sees that, should someone push the statue on the side, it would easily slide to lead to... a secret door!
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The barbarian climbs down Io's rope and contemplates moving the black statue using his rope and hook (with out touching it directly)
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"It would have been uncharacteristically wise of you to wait until I had completed my divinations," Amarandlon says dryly as he straightens up. "Fortunately, the enchantment on this statue seems to be a benificent one. Your mind will not be pulled and oozed out your ears. Indeed, it may be quite useful to you."
He watches with interest, making no attempt to put his slender frame behind the statue's momentum.
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When Io touches the statue, it slides much easier than he'd thought. The dwarf suddenly glow with a white light that quickly fades away. He can easily spot and open a secret passage behind the statue. Amarandlon informs Io with a bored voice that he'll get the equivalent to an Aid spell for something like 10 minutes.
The little chamber it reveals bear the same ancient symbol of Pharasma on its walls. Most of the bodies placed in this crypt have since long decayed to dust, those that remain crumble if touched.
Io spots several things in the crypt. First of all, he finds several ancient pharasmin holy symbols that he soon knows that the actual church of Pharasma may be very interested in. He also finds a wand hidden among the funerary wrappings.
After several minutes, his dwarf-sense tingles and he finds another secret door in the southernmost alcove!