You proceed south through the SE door through a 5' wide corridor that widens out.
A small stone bench sits in the center of this dusty chamber. On the far wall is a faded mural depicting Lord Kassen defeating the mercenaries at the entrance to this crypt, with his blade piercing the chest of the mercenary leader. These figures stand alone in the center of a scene of carnage, with dead villagers and mercenaries all around them.
Seren's keen sight notices that both Kassen and the mercenary leader are wearing golden necklaces, each made up of a simple golden chain, from which hangs an oddly shaped medallion. While not identical, the amulets look similar.
With nothing else to see in the room, Seren leads the party further south and then east to a door. While not locked, Seren notices that when she opens the door, it automatically closes unless it is held open. The room reveals:
A single pillar in the center of the room supports this wide, domed chamber. The pillar is surrounded by a pit, but a stone bridge crosses the pit on the south side. Dozens of arrows jut from holes in the pillar, facing every direction.
Luc's sharp eyes notice a piece of the pillar is oddly shaped and resembles a compartment, perhaps, that can be opened.
Initiative:
Kamau frowns at the sight of the arrow holes. He holds up his shield, and motions toward himself, then into the room, pantomiming holding the shield up defensively. He then motions for the rest of you to in the hallway, where none of the arrows can reach. He then shrugs, making it clear he isn't sure if this is a good plan or not, though he's willing to give it a try.
Seren shrugs to Kamau, then holds up a hand.
”Just wait a moment. One thing at a time.”
Retrieving a crowbar from her pack she attempts to wedge the door…
Luc will point out the secret compartment to Seren. "If that pillar shoots arrows, maybe that hidden compartment that I spotted deactivates it? If you're game, I'll accompany you there. Kam can hold the door open."
”Well, if the door holds we could use a shield.” Seren looks at the pillar again.
”Or ten.”
Seren peers closer at the pillar.
”Hmm. We will have to get closer to examine the compartment. I’m game…”
Hearing the plan, Kamau offers the shield to Luc. He motions to both Seren and Luc, then points to the ground. The high-pitched voice from his amulet says, "Crawl near ground and hunker to avoid arrows."
Assuming the door is jammed open, by either the crowbar or the parrying dagger, Kamau steps back into the hallway so no stray arrows will hit him, in case he needs to run out to perform a rescue.
Seren, with Luc perhaps guarding her with Kamau's shield, moves to the pillar. As she reaches it, she can hear mechanical motors start whirring inside of the pillar. With Luc's guidance, she opens the cleverly designed compartment in the pillar. Seren quickly takes her tools out and skillfully deactivates the trap, causing the motors in the pillar to shut down.
From this room, there is a door to the E and a door to the S, but if you investigate the eastern door, that door leads to the eastern passageway where Roldare is hiding in the southern room. You have 2 options: S from the pillar room or back NW and investigate the SW passageway that was locked with the pool key.
Seren breathes a sigh of relief, and motions to the south. She first checks the door, then heads that way…
You open the door S and head toward the 5' wide passageway for 15' before it opens to a chamber.
A continuous carving of mourners runs along the walls here, leading to a staircase on the south side of the room. From the staircase on the other side of the room, you hear moaning, as a large lumbering 10' rotten muscular creature comes into view, clearly undead from the rotting state of the corpse.
Initiative:
Seren gulps, then skirts around the north-east pillar to come at the creature from the East…then utilizes her regular attack routine…a poke with the rapier and then a slash with the shortsword to determine if the thing particularly likes either…
◆Move ◆ ◆ Twin Feint
Buffed by Marietta's spell, Luc moves to flank with Seren and Double Slices the undead monster, who is off-guard!
Kamau walks up, stabbing with his clan dagger, and then brings up his shield.
Kelri zaps the monster with her favorite spell: Electric Arc!
Round 1: Monster
The lumbering beast raises its fists and tries to bring them down on the 2-weapon fighter, but Luc skillfully dodges out of the way!
Kamau notes that the slashing attacks seem to do particularly impressive damage, so he swaps out his clan dagger for his starknife and slashes twice.
Seren’s face lights up in a manic rictus as she sees her shortsword produce extreme results. She swings out twice, then once more for good measure…
◆ Strike ◆ Strike ◆ Strike
Kamau's attack wounds it, but all three of Seren's attacks hit, with the first being a critical. These attacks quickly make short work of the creature and it topples over.
Seren stands in a half-crouch, splashed with blood. She blinks. She shakes her hair out, then crouches while rifling through the hulk’s “effects”. She then likewise searches the room for anything…interesting.
”Well. Any idea what that was? Regardless, let’s head back to the door with the complicated lock we opened with Luc’s hard-won magic key!”
You backtrack to the SW corridor and open the door to reveal the following:
This long 5' wide and 45' long corridor is flanked by a row of human statues, set into alcoves on each side. The statues look like Lord Kassen, and each one holds a longsword aloft in front of it. The blades of roughly half the statues are wrapped in leather padding.
”Hmm. Interesting.” intones Seren quietly.
”Kelri - is any of….this…ensorcelled?”
Kelri casts Detect Magic and ignores the magic items that she is aware of and concentrates. "No, I sense no auras of magic within 30'. I will continue scanning as you move down the hallway."
Luc looks at Seren with a bewildered smile, "No offense, but that short sword dance was hot!"
"Does this corridor scream trap to anyone else?"
Seren nods.
”A hallway of sword-bearing statues. What could go wrong?”
Kamau is armed with his starknife and shield at the ready, keeping a careful look ahead.
As Seren and Luc and Kamau move down the hall, 30' down the hallway, both Seren and Luc spot a cleverly designed plate in the floor that if triggered, appeared to cause the statues to attack with their longsword.
”Everyone back up. I’m going to try to disarm the trap. I’m not about to leap over this one just to land on another…”
Seren waits for her friends to get to safety, then attempts to disarm the trap.
Sweat beading on her brow, Seren switches gears, and raises her head to check the area on the other side of the trap…
Seren scrunches up her face, and shrugs. She waves the others to come back.
”I don’t think the risk is worth it. I….can’t know if I’ll be successful. And I don’t want to risk any of us if we don’t have to. I’ve confident the area on the other side is safe.”
Seren indicates the corridor.
”So, here’s the plan. We jump this trap, and then check for further traps down the corridor. If we all look carefully, we should be able to stay safe.”
You hop over the trap and reach the door and go through to the following area:
One half of this lofty chamber has a lowered floor, with stairs on either side to reach the bottom. Standing opposite the door on the lowere floor is a tall wooden statue of Kassen grasping a gigantic wooden shield in each hand. One of the shields is inscribed with the word “home,” while the other reads “family.”
Luc looks down on the wooden statue. "Anyone have fire magic? Maybe we could light that thing up."
Seren favours Luc with a raised eyebrow.
”Kelri?” Seren asks, hoping for a little magic detection. She then scopes her way down the left set of stairs, carefully searching the way down and then the statue.
”Hey, Kamau, Marietta - you guys need new shields? These things real?”
Luc will follow Seren, sword and dagger drawn, down the stairs.
He frowns at the reference to fire magic, shaking his head disapprovingly.
At Seren's comment, Kamau looks at his arm, then at the large wooden shield, trying to figure out if there would be a way to strap it to his arm. Perhaps it could function as a tower shield? He's slow enough as it is, but with the dangers in this place ... maybe it would make sense.
The words on the shields make him think of Erastil, and he looks around for any other signs of that god.
He moves around the opposite direction from the others, ready for any sign of danger.
As Seren and Luc start heading down the stairs, the statute wielding the two tower shields animates! All sets of stairs disappear and turn into a long slide. Seren rides the slides like a natural gymnast to the bottom of the stairs. Luc does the same more awkwardly keeping his balance and barely not falling prone.
Initiative:
Kamau scurries on his short dwarven legs down the inclined stairs, landing at the bottom. Seeming almost surprised that he made it down upright, he steps up to the creature and swings at it.
Seren shouts out to Kamau:
”Nicely done Kamau!”
Then, sidling up next to Luc she pokes and slashes at the statue…
◆Step ◆ ◆Twin Feint
Round 1: Luc
◆Step ◆ ◆Double Slice
Luc steps next to Seren since she is flanking with Kamau.
She sticks with electric arc.