Gauntlet believes this may well be the Tome that the Artificers used to create the "Stone Wolf". It will require further study to confirm that belief.
Frank pops his head in the doorway.
"Find anything good, guys?" His eyes are drawn to the scrolls and book as they're collected for later review.
Without Frank saying a word out loud, Broulnindre replies "Hy'm comink, Hy'm comink!", leaving Meridian behind.
She takes a look at the golem making supplies, just in case there's something worth at least its weight in silver.
"Wow, okay, now that's a lot of stuff. Guess heading down here wasn't the worst idea. Now all we need's to get away without them finding us and we'll be in good shape!"
"I may have found some valuable arcana tools and materials Frank. We can go over them later. The important thing is we have found another Keycharm too! No let's move this traveling feast along and hope nothing else comes along to bite us!"
I hope that faraway speck wasn't someone following us. I doubt B breaking that wagon axle and making it look undamaged would slow them down more than an hour or two. With enough undead they might even manage to lift up a loaded wagen with a broken axle and avoid most of the delay...
Frank frowns.
"Yes, let's get a move on. Should we try all the keycharm spots in the rooms we've been so far, first? I wouldn't want to forget to search those later..."
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The group heads back, in two waves to bring the Dire Wolves along. They agree to wait in their "area" and exit the complex when you all have finished exploring. Safety in numbers and all.
Back at the door locked by a brown keycharm, Gauntlet opens the door of a richly appointed quarters. A large ironbound chest is set against the foot of the bed. On the right side of the room, a massive bronzewood wardrobe engraved with Elven symbols stands against the wall. In the far corner, an array of swords hangs from a rack on the wall, along with a shield bearing the House Cannith seal and a beautiful blueenameled chain shirt.
The weapons rack includes a masterwork greatsword, a masterwork longsword, a masterwork short sword, a heavy steel shield, and a masterwork chain shirt.
The lock was carelessly left unlocked and a cursory search reveals it to be filled with blankets and clothing, including a darkweave cloak.
However, it is clear that there is a false bottom and therein lies the true prize of the room. A purse holding 25 pp, a ring of silver and jet set with an oval-cut bloodstone, one vial of silversheen, two vials of oil of magic weapon, and a red keycharm.
Armed with these extra items, the group once again decides to head to the the second rotator room area and activate the yellow keycharm for the first time.
As the room opens the lack of sound becomes almost deafening. The hallway lights flicker oddly (think of a strobe light) from this passage which slopes downwards.
Gauntlet moves forward carefully, his Mindblade (longsword sized) leading the way and Ioun Torch circling his head lazily.
EE volunteers to go with Gauntlet, if only to sate his own curiosity.
The small and silvery Broulnindre follows close behind, her petite figure a stark contrast to the two warforged.
Gauntlet, EE, and B head down the hall and turn a corner finding a door standing closed before them. B determines that the door is not locked and steps back to let the Warforged take the lead.
Sound is still nonexistent as if it is being sucked away from your ears just before you can hear them.
Gauntlet opens the door to this room. Within, the light still flickers but in a multicolored kaleidoscope from a room covered in mirrors - wall, floor, and ceiling. A vast mass of brilliant, swirling color so bright as to be almost blinding bounces within the mirrors and then moves toward the party. The room is 30' long and 20' wide. Across the room is yet another door.
Broulnindre opens her mouth to speak "-"
Wondering if this thing is un-claw-able like the fireball before, she frowns and makes room for EE and Gauntlet.
Gauntlet moves defensively toward the flashing lights...half-expecting another 'living spell.'
Gauntlet steps into the room and his suspicions become concrete when the soundless light swirls around and flashes in his direction.
Viorr
Dev
EE
LIVING SPELL
Frank
Zabeth
Gauntlet
Pink-Eye
Meridian
EE takes a guarding stance, not sure again if he will be able to contribute to the combat. <Mmhhh... Color Spray, this time?>
Fairly sure that he cannot hurt the living spell, Viorr backs off a pace to give the casters room.
Kana would leave the dire wolves waiting and try to close up to the party.
The living spell, a blazing mass of color and light rushes at Gauntlet creating a sucking sound as it continues to absorb what little sound is in the room already.
The engineering and magic marvels of the Cannith collide with Gauntlet's armored hide getting the better of this living spell deflecting the ooze of deadly color from harming him.
Shrugging at the weird embrace the thing attempted, Gauntlet swings his Mindblade at the thing with both hands!
Crit?
Broulnindre opens her mouth again to speak and again produces no sound.
She retreats a short distance on telepathic orders.
Frank comes down the passageway, his boots producing no clomping noise.
He meets his eidolon just before the passage's final corner.
Not thinking too much about the sounds he can't seem to hear, Frank tries to cast Lesser Evolution Surge on Broulnindre, hoping that magic claws might help against the 'too-bright not-fire-this-time ball of weird'.
Dev focuses on the target, and aims a massive burst of psionic energy its way, loathe to expend valuable resources on attacks against such a thing, where they might not have any effect. He was brave, not stupid.
Pink eye moves behind Gauntlet using his reach and tries to chop the spell with his axe imbuing it with negative energy as a swift action
Zabeth swears under her breath, and hangs back.
"Unlikely I can affect this one either...."
The combined forces of the group prove too powerful for this living spell as it dissipates into ectoplasmic particles leaving the room dim once more. You all hear your breath and know that this creature was indeed interfering with sound. This room is completely empty save the dimmed everbright light on the ceiling built into the mortar.
Gauntlet opens the next door which is no locked and does not require a keycharm to open.
This large chamber stretches away from the doorway, and intense heat shimmers in the air. A raging bonfire burns and then suddenly winks out! The heat is gone in an instant as if it were never there!
The room shrinks before your eyes and becomes mundane once more though the walls are anything but, they are made of crystal.
Ate the far end of the room is a keyring with a red keycharm dangling on it.
"You know, something seems familiar about this..."
I've seen something like this before: It's a Cannith scrying room. Who knows if it works correctly now in the Mournland. Anyone want to try it? I have no experience with scrying."
He then quickly moves to gain the keycharm.
Frank answers hesitantly.
"...I might have experience with seeing things where I'm not..."
Meridian moves far enough forward to get a shot on the thing and lashes out with another eldritch blast.
Trying to thread the attack through her allies proves to be too difficult just now, and the attack passes by the living spell to impact harmlessly on the wall.
Broulnindre gives Frank a look.
In this moment, Kana casually strolls around the corner, humming to herself, stopping as she sees you.
Oh there you are. You look a bit... well nevermind. What was that noise just now? I thought i felt a bit of heat rushing down the corridor, but i'm not sure.
Nice room! Very interesting walls. And what is over yonder? This room indeed seems to be a scrying device. Shall we try it? Anyone has a scrying spell?
Frank starts dispensing rope from his sleeve.
"Uh, if the room works like what usually happens to me, please pull me out with this rope..." he says, while he produces 20' more rope than needed to tie around his waist.
"Hold this, B." He adds finally, holding out the end of the rope. Frank follows Gauntlet into the room and hopes for the best as Broulnindre waits just outside the doorway.
After stepping into the room, Frank is pleasantly surprised to not lose the ability to sense his hands, feet, and immediate surroundings.
"Huh. At least it's not a trap. I thought the walls looked a bit like the stuff crystal balls are made of..."
Frank leans closer to the wall.
I wonder what I could see... Hm. Maybe that speck from the skies before?
Frank focuses on the crystal and the speck from before, not entirely unlike focusing on his connection with Broulnindre...
Frank concentrates and the scene begins to shimmer on the walls then the room itself becomes an illusory effect that overtakes the entire room. Once again you feel intense heat shimmer the air. A raging bonfire burns about 40 feet away, near the far wall from the door, casting dancing shadows across the room. A second one burns about 60 feet away, along the southern wall. In the center of the room, a large crucible filled with bubbling molten glass radiates terrible heat. Long, snaking heads made of iron and brass rise up from the molten pool like some metal hydra.
The scene lasts for a few moments longer then fades away.
There is or was some sort of crystaline chest over there! Seems to be something inside, but can't say what. It's reflecting the light.
Kana points to where she saw the chest.
EE scratches his metallic chin. <Uhmm... Do mean that was actually there?> he asks while going to the place Kana just pointed out and checking.
EE scratches his metallic chin. <Uhmm... Do mean that was actually there?> he asks while going to the place Kana just pointed out and checking.
[dice=Perception, Inspiration]1d20+11+1d6
"Might be one of the other rooms." Frank shrugs.
"There was a hallway that was hot if I recall correctly."
Gauntlet heads back to the exit.
"That was the room with the living ball of flame I think Frank. Let's keep moving unless there is something else here someone wants to look at."