Pressing beyond the narrow hallway where the armored ghoul and his contingent attempted to bottleneck the party, you find a wide remembrance hall with fluted, gothic buttresses supporting the arched roof. Instead of burial niches or sarcophagi, the walls and pillars in this chamber are lined with bricks carved with names and epitaphs of those who left behind no remains. Perhaps they were lost abroad, vanished without a trace, or were cremated due to disease or poverty. Thus, names almost beyond counting are remembered in Common Taldane, Varisian, Hallit, and even rarer languages.
To the north, you see open air. That hallway leads to a chamber cleft open by the sinkhole dominating the heart of the empty village. A cool breeze wafts down from that direction, offering some relief from the stale or even toxic air that haunts this level of the catacombs.
Straight ahead, to the west, a wide, carved doorway etched with scratched, effaced Pharasmin motifs offers a descending staircase leading to the final level below.
To the south, another remembrance hall curves back around to a smaller sinkhole leading down. Before you can draw closer to investigate, however, Bashuk halts the rest of the party. She detects the faint scent of toxic air hanging dead in the air down the southern halls and cautions against carelessly venturing in that direction.
Miruna points to the tracks left behind by their quarry, leading to the smaller sinkhole. "They took that route, not the stairs. The bad air won't bother them, of course, but it makes me wonder why they took this route instead of the staircase. We should be cautious."
"If we hold our breath and move quickly, could we pursue the same way?"
"Let me check how far it goes," Bashuk suggests, before moving cautiously down the southern halls. She extinguishes her flames, to avoid immediately giving herself away in the darkness.
Bashuk finds that the bad air grows denser, more potent as she ventures down the southern passages. She is able to endure long enough to discover that the sinkhole at the end likely opens upon the source of the noxious gases from the level below.
She doesn't hear any more dangers from the halls and niches on this level. However, as she draws closer to the source of the gas, she can hear strange sounds wafting up softly from the sinkhole. More ghouls scamper around below, although they do not seem to be climbing up for another attack. They are likely preparing for your arrival down there.
Slipping back to the rest of the group, Bashuk quietly reports what she found.
"I'm no expert, but the air was getting worse. I'm not sure it's natural in origin, either."
"The stairs it is, then."
Assuming the countess gives the go-ahead, Leta leads them toward the stairs, her bow at the ready.
Additionally, as preparation she uses her racial ability to Detect Undead (as the spell, use 1 of 3 per day).
Leta, if you're good to lead the way. We will give you some space... No heroics. Don't get pinned.
"If you find the stair are compromised or trapped, I might be able to fly down and see if I can make the path safer. I can't fly for long but I could do it certainly long enough for this sort of task."
"If you find the stair are compromised or trapped, I might be able to fly down and see if I can make the path safer. I can't fly for long but I could do it certainly long enough for this sort of task."
Noted; hopefully not trapped, as I have no ability with those. You'll know there's a trap if you hear a scream followed by swearing.
Miruna keeps watch (so to speak), listening intently for any sounds of approaching footsteps.
The stairs wind down and down, leading further than the previous, albeit collapsed stairwell. Miruna and Leta find no evidence of traps, hazards, or even footprints in the thick dust. The air, while stale and musty, is not toxic. Of course, the air does feel heavy as you descend further into the ground. You suspect these stairs are carrying you well below even the bottom of the fateful sinkhole.
When the stairs finally reach their end, you find a curiously arched doorway that seems more cramped than the other passages you've encounter so far. The architecture of this lowest level differs noticeably from what you've seen above, with fine brickwork taking the place of masoned stones. The floors are paved with geometric tiles instead of broad flagstones.
Ahead, you find an oblong chamber with rounded walls, about 25 feet across and 20 feet deep. Moss and sunless weeds grow out of the cracks in the brickwork, fed by moisture and nutrients welling up from the ground. A narrow hallway leads off from directly ahead of the stairs.
Leta can hear the soft murmur of running water from somewhere up ahead.
"I can't see anything," Miruna whispers, pointing ahead. "But there's something moving up that way. Maybe a waterwheel? That doesn't make sense, does it?"
Leta looks in the direction Miruna indicated. Can she see anything more with Darkvision or Lowlight?
Once Leta and Miruna give the all clear, Nadiya descends and looks around, positioning her dancing lights sensibly around the party as needed.
She is fascinated by the shift in architecture. "I wonder... is this place older than the catacomb?"
You then spot what looks to be a robed figure standing against the wall, but after observing it standing perfectly still, you realize that it is a statue. The black-and-white nature of your Darkvision made it difficult to discern this, at first.
You can only see about half the statue, obscured by the corner of the hallway, but it appears to depict a winged woman in flowing robes.
This revelation will likely provide some insights that could help you and your companions avoid hazards and safeguards that the ancient Kellids may have built into these sacred burial halls.
"There's a stream, and a winged statue standing against a wall, up ahead where Miruna pointed."
Guess we check it out.
"This is Kellid architecture. I treated an ailing professor in the south who was quite the expert on it, and he was always going on about his research. The catacomb is built on top of a structure that must be at least 2,300 years old." She points at a peculiar way a joint in the wall is constructed. "The bad news is the Kellids had their own ways of building safeguards into their fortresses, but the good news is if we pay attention we may able to anticipate hazards before we walk into them. I just hope the Baron isn't a fan of architecture and hasn't used to use them against us... If any of you spot anything that looks odd and I don't, let me know and I will look at it, see if I remember anything from what the professor taught me."
Leta moves forward, bow at the ready...
Bashuk posts up as a lookout, wary of more ghouls and determined that their little group not be ambushed again...though her attention is pulled back to the strange ruins Leta is approaching.
This suggests that the statue was installed after the ancient Kellids were driven from the land but prior to the fall of the old Kingdom of Ustalav.
...
Leta pauses abruptly as she picks out new details about the statue, about seven feet tall.
First off, while it depicts a winged woman, its head is that of a large raven skull.
Second, and perhaps more worryingly, she notices almost imperceptible movement from the "statue" - particularly around the feet and joints.
Leta keeps back at least 10' if possible, hoping to shoot if this thing moves to attack. Being outside of nature, this creature is beyond her ken.
Nadiya is looking about, taking in everything she can. As they approach, she frowns. "Odd. This statue is not Kellid, like everything else here. It's old Ustalavic, from the Golden Age... before the Whispering Tyrant. So someone built this here after the Kellids left... something about this spot must have attracted many a people..." She frowns.
A realization dawns on her, and she nearly barks, "Leta, stay back!" She exhales sharply.
"I'm sorry, I... it... it may not do us any harm, but I think it is more than just a statue. Those who built the catacomb above weren't the first to keep their dead here. This I believe is a cryptguard. It is meant to protect the area from the undead. Perhaps it is why the ghouls were afraid of coming this way. But..." she looks at Leta, "I would not want to trigger it in some way unwittingly..." She knows Leta's nature but she also knows it is not her story to tell.
Valeska senses Nadiya's hesitation, unsure what could be causing it. Why the hesitation, could it see us as a... threat? Grave robbers or such?
It was creepy that the head reminded her of the attic whisperer which led to her to think of Nikolai and Valda. Hope they are safe.
At Nadiya's description, Leta realizes the danger should the statue be undiscerning in its definition of "undead"; she lowers her bow and holds position.
The cryptguard, thankfully, remains inert as you draw closer.
With some input from Bashuk and Miruna's knowledge about religious customs, from her cultural knowledge Nadiya is able to piece together an old Pharasmin ritual blessing dating back to the likely era of this catacomb's (and by extension, the cryptguard's) construction. If each of you follow the ritual gestures and aphorism, the construct should allow you to pass in peace.
Leta holds place and waits for the others. She's got nothing against Pharasma, in general, so she'll willingly do the ritual, when the time comes. But she wears her unease of the proximity to the aura on her face, impossible for her to hide.
"She's a hard one," Bashuk nods sympathetically at the look on Leta's face. "Gotta be tough for Her though--a Goddess of Fate when Fate's been murdered. And no firmer ally against the unliving."
Nadiya follows Bashuk and Miruna's lead. "As a midwife, my prayers often go to Pharasma. The work I do makes me see how thread-thin the barrier is between life and death..."
Kind of always know where you stand with her... I suppose one can take comfort in that, if not her.
Never liked Pharasma personally. Always figured a mortals fate should be their own to make. Either way, I suppose its worth trying to seek passage. Kain quips into the conversation.
The cryptguard does not seem to judge based on the faith in your heart, but rather it seems content to accept the ritual gestures and allow your safe passage beyond the vestibule of this deepest level of the catacombs.
Beyond, you find a narrow, almost claustrophobic passage leading to the next burial chamber. The sarcophagi within are just as old as the surrounding walls, but there is evidence that they have been recycled over many generations - the dust of their old occupants put aside in an urn to make room for the bones of the newly honored dead.
The path hooks around and moves southward to another, larger connecting chamber. Another canal bisects the floor longways and empties into a curving canal that surrounds some central chamber like a narrow moat.
Leta moves through the next chamber and around the hook, stopping at the entry of the room with the second canal, her bow raised the entire time. She keeps her eyes open (Darkvision and low-light) for anything unusual.
Miruna listens carefully, only the barest light of her blade escaping its scabbard to light the floor directly in front of her.
Never liked Pharasma personally. Always figured a mortals fate should be their own to make. Either way, I suppose its worth trying to seek passage. Kain quips into the conversation.
"I don't know how her priests see it, but my understanding has been that Pharasma witnesses our fates, but she does not attempt to alter or influence them. Even if we cannot control what we encounter down the paths we take, our choices are out own."
She follows along, content to allow Mishka to sniff out danger as she observes the fascinating architecture as they go through.
"That's always been my understanding as well," Miruna says over her shoulder. "Pharasma is the judge, not the executor."
And who is she to judge? What can she know of mortal life? Perhaps one day I will understand, or even find a deity whose ideals I can devote myself to. Though, at this point I suppose that is unlikely. Kain shakes his head.
Either way, perhaps she will actually give us aid since we are clearing out her grounds of undead.
He strains to listen as well, and keeps an eye out for any potential pressure plates or other types of traps.
Any who are looking, see Valeska smile at the general-philosopher. She seems pleased with the discussion overall.
"'Who is she to judge?' What kind of question is that?" Bashuk huffs, a little incensed. "She's the Mother of Souls, the goddess of the afterlife, and probably the oldest being in the multiverse. I wish She was nicer but I won't deny Her what She is due."
"Afterlife, bah. 'Tis the life on this world that's important; yours, mine, that of the trees in the woods and birds in the skies."
"What makes this world more important than any other? People live--or, um, afterlive? You know what I mean--all over, and they all matter."
Leta frowns, considers Bashuk's point for a moment, then rejects it out of hand. Her own world view is too tied to earthly natural beauty. She says no more.
You philosophical and theological musings echo softly off the ancient walls, but they do not even disturb the layers of dust.
You are wise to keep alert as you venture deeper into the level, for you identify several segments of the floor that look suspect. Cracks and discolorations suggest that they might collapse beneath your feet. Avoiding them might be the best choice.
The canals converge upon a point beyond the inner walls surrounding whatever inner sanctum lies at the heart of this level. From the sounds, it seems as though they pour down a chasm in long waterfalls.
Nadiya eyes the canals. "Why do I have a feeling we'll be leaving this place fleeing a flood?"
She eyes her surroundings with detect magic as they continue on, checking for any unusual auras.
"There's a cheery thought..."
"I'm sorry. I've been in too many local ruins over the course of my life. Hazards of being one of the few available healers in certain areas, but it's made me leery..." She smiles at Miruna. "If we want to seek a bright side, perhaps we could use the crumbling architecture to our advantage as well..."
Nadiya's magically attuned eyes help confirm something she suspected whilst examining the architecture upon first reaching this deepest, oldest level. There are a few small tiles mixed into the patterns upon the floor that radiate faint magic.
A burial practice that was carried over as the old Kellids transitioned from catacombs to cairns, rather than carving burial niches into the walls, they would carve them into the floors. These distinctive tiles mark such burial plots, and the weak but lingering magic upon them is a punitive ward meant to chastise those who would walk upon them. Although not fatal and perhaps negligibly dangerous, given the ghouls that might still be nearby, it would be wise to avoid giving them any measure of advantage over you.