Heather ceases her barrage on the last undead as her comrades batter it into little bits. Her hair falls back around her shoulders but still seems to have a breeze stirring it from time to time
"Remind me to pick up the skull on my way out" she remarks to no one in particular.
"Remind me to pick up the skull on my way out" she remarks to no one in particular.
"That would be ill-advised," Istas somberly answers as she walks the remaining distance to rejoin everyone, "These bones once belonged to someone. Foul magic animates them and dishonors their memory. Better to put them back so the spirits of the dead are no longer vexed at their mistreatment."
"Besides," she adds, "What purpose would you have for such a skull? Surely you don't also tread the paths of necromancy?"
"Is anyone hurt," Jeorik asks a moment later, after taking a few seconds to take a deep breath.
"I am fine," Istas announces as she ventures among the bones of the larger skeleton to find her club. She slips it into her belt and then finds Keliwyn to regain her spear as well. "You put it to good use, I see," the priestess smiles.
"Undead servants would seem to suggest we are on the right path."
Istas regards the passage ahead. "Indeed it does," she replies, "Mindless ones such as these are never used as guardians for any tomb in the care of the Pharasmen. This must be the work of the necromancer the Marshall told us about. Let's be on our guard. Hopefully, the noise of this battle didn't alert anyone. But we can't be too sure..."
"Mindless ones such as these are never used as guardians for any tomb in the care of the Pharasmen. "
"Are you saying that the Pharasmen use intelligent undead," teases Jeorik, though he knows full well that Pharasma despises all undead.
"There!" Keliwyn yells as he points to the opening opposite the stairs to the surface. "In that passage! I saw something. It was small, maybe halfling size."
Keeping an eye towards that spot, he hands Istas her spear back. "My apologies, priestess, I hope you don't mind me helping myself," he says with a slight bow, after which he retrieves his rapier.
"There!" Keliwyn yells as he points to the opening opposite the stairs to the surface. "In that passage! I saw something. It was small, maybe halfling size."
Keeping an eye towards that spot, he hands Istas her spear back. "My apologies, priestess, I hope you don't mind me helping myself," he says with a slight bow, after which he retrieves his rapier.
The rest of the party looks, but there's no one there, just the empty passage. The opening in the wall is shorter than this room and has a rougher appearance. It was obviously worked with the crudest of tools and little thought of asthetics.
Jeorik nocks an arrow on his bow.
"The one we're after is allied with derro, right? Would they perhaps look something like a halfling if seen for only a moment?"
"But maybe we should be looking over this room as well for clues. At the very least we should proceedly cautiously lest there be trapped corridors."
Perception (search): (1d20=12)
Jeorik looks around the room, lifting up his lantern to better see any details.
Keliwyn spots an oddly continuous crack in the wall which outlines a roughly gnome-size rectangle of stones. Once he points it out, it's readily observable to all. Scrape marks on the floor seem to indicate the stones have been dragged back and forth, in and out of the wall. Bad masonry ... or a secret door?
An additional few minutes of searching reveal no method to trigger or open the door or poorly laid stones.
"Are you saying that the Pharasmen use intelligent undead," teases Jeorik, though he knows full well that Pharasma despises all undead.
"Hardly..." Istas starts to reply, and then Keliwyn interrupts...
"There!" Keliwyn yells as he points to the opening opposite the stairs to the surface. "In that passage! I saw something. It was small, maybe halfling size."
Istas immediately looks past the elf towards the passageway. "I...see...nothing," she replies, but inwardly she can only assume Keliwyn's eyes are far superior to hers.
"The one we're after is allied with derro, right? Would they perhaps look something like a halfling if seen for only a moment?"
"Definitely," Istas answers, "They're twisted and ugly. About the size of a gnome...or a skinny dwarf. Pale eyes. Gray skin."
"But maybe we should be looking over this room as well for clues. At the very least we should proceedly cautiously lest there be trapped corridors."
"We should assume Keliwyn did see one of them," the priestess agrees, "And that means they probably know we're here. We may have lost the element of surprise, but they're in Pharasma's realm now, making their home here in the catacombs. So let them come. The Lady of Graves will not suffer their indiscretions any longer. And she will see that our hands deliver her vengeance."
Keliwyn spots an oddly continuous crack in the wall which outlines a roughly gnome-size rectangle of stones. Once he points it out, it's readily observable to all. Scrape marks on the floor seem to indicate the stones have been dragged back and forth, in and out of the wall. Bad masonry ... or a secret door?
"More trickery..." the priestess mutters, "Traps and secret passages." She regards Keliwyn in the glow of their lights as they examine the stone. "I'm suddenly very pleased to have all of you along. I'm certain I would have missed this...so, well done!"
Heather shakes her head when the door is pointed out to her..."Istas is right...no one of us can do this alone...we need each other"
When it is clear that the way to open the theoritical secret door is likely to remain a secret, Jeorik helpfully suggests, "You know we could try the crowbar on it..."
Heather bites her lip the doubts returning to her mind.
"If it was a Derro doesn't that mean they know we are here now...what if they decide to mob us...we don't know how many of them there are or what they are capable off..and didn't you mention poison Sister Istas?"
"If it was a Derro doesn't that mean they know we are here now...what if they decide to mob us...we don't know how many of them there are or what they are capable off..and didn't you mention poison Sister Istas?"
"Fear not..." Istas replies, "They kill easily enough. And I've tasted their poison and survived. So Pharasma will see us through this. We are but the instruments of fate come to deliver her will upon those who desecrate the memory of the dead."
She glances at Keliwyn and then Joerik. "Can we open this thing?" she asks, "It would seem prudent to use this passage and possibly help us regain the element of surprise. I doubt the derro will expect us to go this way. And, if they've taken the trouble to disguise this route, perhaps it leads somewhere important? Or it may help us avoid whatever approaches they've chosen to defend or trap."
She glances at Keliwyn and then Joerik. "Can we open this thing?" she asks, "It would seem prudent to use this passage and possibly help us regain the element of surprise. I doubt the derro will expect us to go this way. And, if they've taken the trouble to disguise this route, perhaps it leads somewhere important? Or it may help us avoid whatever approaches they've chosen to defend or trap."
"I can't figure it out, which is frustrating, to say the least. I know there is a door there, but I can't figure out the mechanism to open it. It should be something simple . . . " the elf trails off as he moves his hands over the stones. After awhile, he shakes his head and mutters, "Dumber than a derro," under his breath.
"Is it a magical portal," Jeorik asks the more magically aware in the group, "And if it is not then force should suffice if applied with the proper leverage."
"Is it a magical portal," Jeorik asks the more magically aware in the group, "And if it is not then force should suffice if applied with the proper leverage."
Istas shrugs and then looks to Heather.
Heather approaches the stones arms stretched out before her, concentrating intently. After a few moments she shakes her head. "I find no magic here."
Istas looks to Jeorik following Heather's assessment. "You brought that crowbar for a reason, yes?" she smiles, then nods toward the door, "I'll keep an eye on the other passage in case any more derro or walking dead approach."
"Derro? I believe that they do not like the light."
Jeorik steps up to the crack with the crowbar. He attempts a few feeble pries...
Strength Check: (1d20+2+2=9)
Strength Check: (1d20+2+2=8)
Strength Check: (1d20+2+2=9)
Strength Check: (1d20+2+2=12)
Before getting more serious...
Strength Check: (1d20+2+2=17)
Jeorik tries to wedge his crowbar into the crack, but as he begins to pry the tip slips out. After several tries he finds a good spot and is able to pull the whole door out a tiny bit. This enables him to get a better bite with the crowbar and after a few minutes to heavy pushing and prying the door is out far enough that it can be pulled by several hands.
The door is constructed like a plug. The sides of its jamb are tapered so that the door can move out from the wall. On the far side of the door a long handle has been fixed into the stone, enabling the door's users to pull it shut behind them as they enter the tunnel.
During the operation Istas occasionally spots a derro head poke from the main passage. It is quickly withdrawn each time.
Heather steels herself to the task ahead...she knows her comrades are good in a fight..once again she curses herself for being unable to provide more than minimal aid in this situation
Cast light on the lantern again
Jeorik once more stows his crowbar and preparing his bow he prepares to follow after those who will lead the way into the new passageway.
Once Istas hears and sees that the door has been opened, she withdraws from her observation at the other passage.
"Let Keliwyn lead the way," she suggests, "They may have trapped the way as well. I'll go next in case any of the walking dead await us. Can we secure the door behind us?"
Two things: the secret door passage is roughly 4' tall by 3' wide. There's no room to properly aim and fire a longbow, especially with people in front of you. Also swinging weapons will be disadvantaged. (Medium sized slashing or bludgeoning weapons at -2 to hit.)
Second , unless you rig something, there's no provision for locking the door behind you. Its weight and fit are what hold it in place. You will hear it scrape open behind you though.
Seeing that he can't use his long-bow in the passage, Jeorik switches over to his long-spear and shield.
Keliwyn nods at Istas' suggestion and takes the lead. He carefully takes his time, looking for anything unusual. Although a little nervous about the prospect of a direct confrontation within the tight confines of the passage, he is comforted and emboldened by the presence of his friends.
The passageway is largely natural, intruding rocks have been hewn out of the way and the floor has been leveled enough that you can move normally with no fear of tripping. There is none of the blue glowing moss in the first 15' of the passage.
Given the circumstances, Darthen decides to accompany the party. He will act as rearguard.
Using the light Istas provides, Keliwyn leads the way, moving steadily but cautiously. The passage begins to slope up a short rise before the entire party is past the door. Darthen and Heather have just drawn the door shut behind them and started up the rise when Keliwyn halts. In the light, mystical and mundane, you can see two branches of the pasageway turn left from the main passage. Further examination shows the first branch dips down as it turns back along the cave you are in; about 20 ' along it reverses itself by turning right and out of sight. The second branch runs about 10' and dead ends. The main passage dips sharply (about a 40 degree angle) down and gets shorter.
"Maybe explore the first branch, followed by the second branch, and so forth," whispers Jeorik...
"Maybe explore the first branch, followed by the second branch, and so forth," whispers Jeorik...
The first branch travels perhaps 40 running feet before ending in a door. The last 20' have been scoured clean of the luminescent moss.
The second branch is only about 10' long. It too is dark.
The main passage continues straight ahead. Patches of moss provide faint illumination. As described above it dips down and becomes much shorter at the bottom of the dip. Without descending you can only see the tunnel flatten out at the bottom of the slope.
I forgot to mention, the second branch ends in a door.
"Are we going through the doors?"
"I say: 'Let no door bar your way.'" Inigo quotes.
"We must follow the passage to its natural destination," Istas agrees, "It's sized for a derro, so it must lead to somewhere important to them for them to disguise it so. Take us through the door, Keliwyn...and then quickly make room for the rest of us to join you."
Heather sets herself for the task ahead...readying her bow and calling the power of her newly awakened bloodline...She knows her comrades are seasoned fighters now and knows they will protect her from the blades of these Derro as best they may
Which door? First branch or second?
The door pushes open to reveal a long corridor, 10' wide maybe 60 long. Walls are lined with dozens of skulls. The floor is paved with large rectangular flagstones. The ceiling is 10' high. Ten feet down the corridor are 2 alcoves . The one on the right is blind. The one on the left has a door. About 30' down on the right is a archway to some passage.
"Another door to go through, but be careful."
It may seem like I've neglected you this evening, but I've been working on this
Let me know if it works. Seems kind of small.
You are at the top of the long vertical room in the center.
Inigo leads, the light of the First Lord granting illumination to these dark surroundings.
"We need to make sure that there are no enemies left behind us," says Jeorik, "As we do not know what is down here, we need to check every chamber."
"We need to make sure that there are no enemies left behind us," says Jeorik, "As we do not know what is down here, we need to check every chamber."
"Agreed," Istas nods, "I would like nothing more than to purge this place of every last derro, necromancer, and walking dead. But if we find Gaekhen's body quickly, we should probably retreat and get it to Thousand Bones. We'll need to make sure the way behind us is clear to do that."
Keliwyn crosses quickly to the new door and briefly looks it over. Then he lays an ear against it to listen to the far side. "Shhhh. " He whispers, "who's making that Calistria-cursed clicking?"
Jeorik and Inigo :