Well, I doubt the coins have rotted. Do let us know what you found in there
The refrain drops away as the dramatic scene closes. Joras looks around the recent carnage wondering how much more they can take. "Now what, I'm fresh but have little of my store of mystic tricks left. I can't swim and the water would drown me." Joras shudders at memories best forgot, and then steadies himself.
Continuing, he says, "The rest of you are worse off, can we even face another challenge today?"
Miron looks over the ring using Detect Magic. The ring radiates a faint aura of transmutation.
This is a ring of swimming. +5 competence bonus on Swim checks.
Pulling the coin pouch free you see that it has been soaking in this water for too long and pulls apart where the thread had sewn the leather together, but the coins are still good. They are golden coins that match the same style and design found on the corpse that was beside the Gray Lake when you were on your way to the tomb.
"I...I do have some healing left, but you don't look that hurt anymore? Do you need more healing now?" Roya looks at the small wound on him, surprised at Conrads words.
This is a ring of swimming. +5 competence bonus on Swim checks.
Collecting their bearings, the group sees a second waterlogged door beside Miron that could be equally easy to remove. You also have the path that led south opposite the door that entered this chamber. The final spot would be the south path from the initial entry onto this level of the tomb
You all remember that Roldare’s sister, Dimira, is still out there. Possibly still alive. You know what you have faced together through this tomb. What is it that she is facing alone?
This is a ring of swimming. +5 competence bonus on Swim checks.
Conrad checks the door for traps, he doesn’t see any. Unfortunately the door is damages that the binding holding the planks together come free revealing a hallway. The hall way shows an opening into the chamber to the west, and to the south it opens to a larger room, but you can only see part of it from where you are.
As to leave the chamber with the frogs, you notice that the level of the floor begins to raise and it is only difficult to travel through for those who are small sized or smaller.
The chamber you come across first is roughly 20-ft square chamber with four vertical pillars. The Light or torches reveals a strange blue fungus covering the walls, ceiling, and pillars in this waterlogged chamber. Its whispy strands stretch out from the wal like roots dangling in the air, twitching and swaying in an unseen breeze. Floating in the water are four decaying corpses. From the entry you can tell they three are large rats, and one is a giant frog. Each with strange burn marks all over their bodies.
The strange blue fungus is called Azure Fungus and is extremely dangerous. It is known to build up electricity within it and will burst into its surroundings. You know that in its typical surroundings it is not in water, and that it would enhance its normal building surge.
Joras thinks then sighs. "I've gone as far as I can guys, the water would either drown me. Otherwise I'd only hamper you trying to keep me above water. Don't have much left for today anyway and little I have affects the mindless creatures. Guess I'll just stay here and watch the back. If anything show I'll shout about it."
Miron stares at the ring "The ring is magic, but I don't know what it does. I guess it probably doesn't do much against frogs. The coins look the same as the ones we found on that guy near the lake. Wasn't he dead a couple of months too?" he wonders.
--
Looking at the room with the stangely burned corpses.
"Do you think it's the blue stuff on the walls? If it can burn, then it might match up with the pattern on the bodies? We could push one of the frogs we just killed into the wall to see what happens?" he suggests.
At Conrad's words Joras looks warily at the water line on the other's body estimating just how deep the water really is. Is it safe for him to go forward or just create more of a burden.
Joras replies, "I have faith in the gods, Conrad just not in my ability to breath water. Remember I'm less than 3 feet tall even on my tippy toes."
Conrad looks from the opening to see if there are signs of traps. He doesn’t see anything that would produce the burn marks on their bodies. Miron wonders if they pushed the dead frog into the wall if something would happen.
As the group enters the hallway, Joras sees that he can walk but it is difficult.
Miron wades off to fetch one of the frogs to test his theory.
Joras leaves his mandolin and coat behind before being carried to less wet ground. He wades in water to his waist with obvious fear expecting more to water to come. After one look back he knows without help he's not getting out of here. Squaring his shoulders he shuffles along, trying not to fall behind but helpless to keep up.
"It's slow going for me, guys." Joras somehow keeps his voice from cracking, years of performances paying off.
Once we find an area where we can rest and dry out, I suggest we take it.
Brandark cautions everyone about the blue fungus
Azure Fungus, Stay away from it. It builds up a shock, then releases it. But water isn't its usual hunting grounds
Its looking like they got to close. So please find us a route that doesn't get to close to this fungus
"Doesn't this way just circle back to the corridor outside the frog room, anyway? I don't think we need to get close to this fungus? And what do you mean, a shock? They were burnt. You mean, like a lightning bolt or something? Can fungi do that?"
Roya does not seem entirely convinced, but then, she had seen a lot of things in the past 48 hours that she was convinced about, but clearly wrong - so she was more than willing to err on the side of caution when it came to strange underground mushrooms near corpses.
As Brandark mentions the fungus you see that the tendrils reach far from the walls feeling out towards anything that might be moving within the water. The murkiness of the water doesn’t allow you to see below the surface.
As Roya said, you do not need to pass through this chamber to get to the other side.
I've heard tell of these fungi hitting full grown adults with a shock solid enough to kill.
The burns from those shocks are both on the feet and where the shock hits. Don't ask me why it works that way
"Well, I trust you. Then lets stay away and keep our distance from them. Onward?", she inquires, shyly pulling Conrad back from the Fungus Room.
Joras miserably says, "Yep, the longer way is what we need to do. It seems as though the fighting beetles and walking dead is not enough. The tomb itself seems against us. It will be a while getting there."
Do you have an idea on how to deal with these things. But Joras, be glad that the water was going down. It should be at a level where you can walk once we are there.
Miron abandons his plan once its clear Brandark knows about the strange fungus.
"Doesn't look like there'd be anything in there, let's keep going."
As you wade through the two foot deep water, you see this chamber open up. This large chamber is partially flooded, with the south end just barely rising out of the stagnant water. A large wheel is set into the floor of the dry area, attached to chains that raise up into the ceiling. A thick layer of slick, black mold covers the carvings on the walls of this chamber.
Once Brandark takes his first step into this chamber, eight creatures rise up from the water. Skeletons, each one holding a scimitar and wearing a chain shirt.
One appears from the recesses in each corner, two near the wheel on the far side and two in the middle of the room.
The two in front of the wheel move forward but fall below the water again. The ones in the corners step forward 10-feet and the skeletons in the middle draw in closer to Barndark. Two slash out at Brandark with their scimitars. Each one deflecting off of the dwarf’s scale mail.
Initiative: Round 1
Skeletons
All of You
.
Grunting slightly as both scimitars are turned by his mail, Brandark pushes a step into the room, and brings his Urgosh around in downwards strike to try and take the skeleton out.
BAB, STR
Slashing
"More undead...", Roya offers a short prayer to Erastil, grasping his Holy Symbol before presenting it in an attempt to sever the unnatural energies animating the corpses from the bones.
Well, these things just keep popping up from under foot.
Miron looks forward as those in front cry out, but he can't see much. Before Perri can rush past, he touches the fighter's bill and channels cold into it.
He then rummages in his pockets and draws the wand.
Conrad moves through Brandark and dodges the swings of the skeletons. Using his flail, he destroys one of the skeletons. Brandark’s attack misses, deflecting off the armor of the skeleton. Roya readies an attack with her Channeling. Miron uses his arcane powers to enhance Perri’s bill.
Perri moves forward to attack out at one of the skeletons further in the chamber. The skeleton besides Brandark attacks out seeing the perfect opportunity and lands a blow with his scimitar. Perri attacks out with his bill, but the attack misses.
Initiative: Round 1
Skeletons
All of You
Joras is split between feeling more terror at more horrors arising and vindicated at the same time. He then splashes up to Roya and draws his pathetic blade and adopts a guarding position that seems more like a bedraggled walking mop than any image of a heroic adventurer.
"I'll try to slow down anything that comes your way Roya, not much else I can do anyway."
Joras moves forward and draws his weapon.
The skeletons begin to move forward which sets off a chain reaction. Perri gets an AoO on the skeleton that moves up on him but the attack goes wide. Roya’s readied action goes off. It looks effective on all four that are close by, but only causes two of them to crumple.
The remaining two skeletons drop their blades with the wave of energy that flows through them and attack out at Brandark & Perri with two claw attacks, both attacks on each of them land.
Perri’s wounds drops him to the ground and he falls under the water, Brandark is standing wavering on his feet, anything could make him fall unconscious at this point.
Conrad attacks with his flail, but the attack misses.
Initiative: Round 2
Skeletons
All of You
.
.
Clockwise order
.
.
.
.
.
.
Joras watches as disaster even greater than he imaged occurs. Fear fades before an acceptance of an inevitable fate. He drops his blade as splashes forward to Perri easily reaching underwater to fumble about for he head. Sliding his arm under Perri's head and shoulders, he tries lifting him up enough to be able to breath at least. "Roya! Do I heal Perri or are you going to try to do so for all?" Joras is as protective of Perri as possible knowing that the blow from a skeletal horror is about as certain as anything in this world.
"Erastil, lead us through this dark hour and grant us your protection",
Roya had not even let go of the Holy Symbol, as another burst of energy flows forth from her, this time healing her allies.
Thanks Roya, lets back up and take them in a narrow opening Joras take conrad back. Perri, cover our backs.
Brandark goes full defensive to allow the others to pull back.
I will be between Conrad and you until perri can get to his feet. Lets go
Joras rushes forward and stands over Perri as he pulls the fallen warrior up from the water. Timing was excellent as water rushes from his mouth.
Roya channels a burst of energy that completely heals Conrad and gives Brandark the energy to continue fighting. Perri is still unconscious but stabilized.
Brandark hunkers down in a total defense.
Initiative: Round 2
Skeletons
All of You
Miron moves up until he can see the skeleton in the alcove, then flicks the wand, sending a blast of force crashing into it.
Miron lets a Magic Missile fly and it causes the skeleton in the alcove to crumple.
The skeleton that attacked out as Perri attacks at Joras and the one by the wheel moves up towards Conrad and attacks. All three attacks, two claws on Joras and one scimitar on Conrad, miss.
Initiative: Round 3
Skeletons
All of You
.
Roya retrieves the Wand of Healing, then infuses Perri with more magic, taking note of the fact he is still breathing, at least - which meant there was hope yet.
Joras is very lucky and the first attacks by the horrors miss, he keeps Perri from drowning while the others try to deal with the attacks. He starts to pulls Perri back while withdrawing from the fighting line as much as possible. "As I move to deeper waters I can't go further than when the waterline reaches about two feet. At the point I'll need someone else to carry Perri and me beyond as we retreat. Unless of course we win this fight by the grace of the gods."
Aye, cover Joras, will do
Brandark shifts his stance slightly and lashes out with a strike at the skeleton
BAB, STR, Fighting Defensive
But still shaken by the lightheadedness from the last attacks, he isn't quite sure of his strikes.
Conrad destroys the skeleton besides him, leaving nothing but floating bones.
Using the wand she received from the Great Feast room, she heals Perri and his eyes open and gasp for air.
Seeing that Perri is able to hold himself out of the water, Joras withdraws back into the corridor
Brandark stands strong waiting for other skeletons to appear and threaten those who are less armored.
Perri, seeing that his Bill has floated away, draws out his flail and attacks out while prone. But his attack goes wide as he has just regained consciousness and isn’t surefooted.
Initiative: Round 3
Skeletons
All of You
.