Indeed as you work your way to the east, down the natural cavern, you soon see that it is finely worked stone ahead. Rather than rough walls, and uneven floors, you see an area where the floors are interlocked stone, the walls smooth, the ceilings a consistent 8' high. The original purpose of this chamber is unclear, but large mounds of rubble lie strewn on its floor. There is a door affixed on the northern wall of this rubble filled room.
The group does not note any traps or foes here, and as they enter and poke around in the rubble, it appears this may have once been a storeroom of sorts. The rubble mainly consists of broken pottery and ruined wooden crates that have been splintered and broken and aged over a long time. Whatever they once held is not longer present, likely foodstuffs or other degradable ware.
After a very short dig through the rubble Ari turns to the door. He searches it carefully for any dangers and calls for quiet while listening at it. Once he feels fairly certain that it is safe he checks to see if it is locked.
As Ari sifts through the detritus of a long past era, Tot readies her shield and holds her sword in one hand. She tries to appear calm, but her tail keeps writhing and twitching as Ari moves on to inspect the door.
|
"This is interesting. I've heard some of the great cities are built upon their forebears so that there can be many levels. I would not have thought the little town of Sandpoint would be one of these. But here we have evidence of structure. I wonder if it used to be above ground or if it was originally built underground and what sort of structure it is."
"Ari, h-have you h-heard anything about this place?"
The single door does not appear to be trapped or locked from Ari's exploration. Opening, it you find another hallway, again made out of finished stone rather than natural cavern. The hallway bends west again after about 15', and then as you follow it turns north. From this corner, with his ability to see in the dark, Ari can spy ahead that there are branches to choose from.
There is a second hallway that heads back east about 10' in front of the group, while ahead the hall seems to open up into a bigger space, and the natural cavern seems to join the fixed stone ahead as well. Dimly ahead, he can see a vaguely humanoid shape but it seems to be unmoving...
None of you, even Ari who knows lots of things, has ever heard of some finished crypts below Sandpoint...
Erridon moves ahead slowly. The place plays on his nerves for some reason…. When he hears Tot’s question he pauses. ”No. But look at the stonework. Smooth floors and walls in this underground crypt? Or, whatever this place is. And it’s not all covered in dust. Those monsters…. I think this place probably dates back to Thassilonian times.”
Seeing the unmoving humanoid shape ahead he sings a short chant and points, sending a vaguely human shaped flaming figure ahead to it.
"I was always told that Thassilon was just something from Varisian folk tales, nothing more than superstitions."
Tot stays close to Ari as he probes ahead, her eyes dart around like those of a cat trying to watch too many dogs.
Ari sends his lights dancing down toward the humanoid figure he sees at the edge of his vision. As they get closer, its apparent this figure is a statue of some kind, not a live threat. Moving closer, the group sees a red marble statue of a strikingly beautiful but, at the same time, monstrously enraged human woman stands in the middle of this room, her stony expression twisted in fury. The woman wears flowing robes, and her long hair is held back from her face by an intricate headdress of looks and blades. In her left hand she carries a large book, the face of which is inscribed with a seven-pointed star. Her right hand holds a glittering metal and ivory ranseur.
Before you get to the room with the red marble statue, a quick peek down the passage to the east reveals just a long hallway as far as anyone's darkvision can make out.
Grod walks up to the statue. "This ranseur isn't part of the statue. May as well take it. As long as it's not booby-trapped or something." he says, looking to Ari.
"Sec." The little gnome casts detect magic on the ranseur.
She also tries to recall if the statue rings any bells on any old tales now that Erridon has mentioned Thassilonians.
Erridon moves up to examine the statue. The others seem interested on the weapon. Ari only really sees the statue. As he approaches he examines the floor area for traps. If none are found he moves up close to study the statue. "I've seen the seven pointed star in some of my studies. But I've never seen a statue in this good shape...."
"This place is supposed to be old, right? Do you think it's as old as the ruins on the north side of town," Tot asks Ari.
No part of the red marble statue radiates magic and Isidiana has not encountered this person or this symbology before.
Ari looks around for traps but finds none. Ari has studied and does recall a lot of those varied lessons. One of the more esoteric works he read talked about ancient Thassilon that was ruled by wizards called Runelords. This statue, of the angry woman carrying a ranseur, is very similar to one of those, the lord of wrath Alaznist. How that statue is here below Sandpoint he has no answers for.
Ari hears Tot's question and finally breaks his attention from the statue. "Hard to tell the age of this statue. But the Runelord Alaznist supposedly ruled in this area before Earthfall. This area was devastated by that and just some minor ruins remain. Whatever this place was, it might not have been underground at the time. Earthfall might have buried it...."
He looks again at the statue and the rage on the face. "I think she was an evoker. Seeing that anger was probably the last thing many people saw before they were blasted out of existence."
Finally breaking away from the statue he looks around the room and approaches the door. "While it's important to history, there's more here to check out." He examines the door, checking for any danger and then for locks.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Izzy D ponders this bit of history, "She did not wake up on the right side of the bed EVER it looks like." But the gnome seems fascinated.
Tot shivers as she looks at the statue one more time. History wasn't something her parents nor her tutors ever bothered with beyond what touched upon House Thrune and its power base in Cheliax. Thassilon was considered nothing more than a myth, a warning against believing what Varisians tell you, but now...
Now Tot feels that there is much, much more going on here than anyone back in Cheliax or Nidal suspects. What else have they ignored? The answers that come to mind are not pleasant ones as she watches over Ari as he inspects the door.
Ari does not find any traps or locks on the door to the north.
As Grod loosens and then takes the ranseur from the statue, he can see it is a fine weapon made from ivory and metal. The workmanship is exquisite the balance and feel of the weapon are perfect.
Erridon steps back from the door and turns around. "I'm not focused proper. This door looks safe, and still closed. Those.... hallways behind us are open. If there is anything living down there they might have heard us. Maybe we should check them first?"
Unless someone objects (?) he leads the group towards the stairs to see what it that way. Slow and careful checking for traps.
Tot continues to follow along behind Ari. She doesn't object, though she certainly feels as if the weight of the stone around them is crushing down on her. Her knuckles whiten under the grip she keeps on both sword and shield.
The passage heading east descends several sets of stairs over its length of about 60'. It then ends in a door. Ari does not find any traps along the hallway or on the door itself.
After checking the door Erridon backs up from it. "It's safe, but I don't know what's on the other side of it."
"Should I open it then," she asks.
Tot takes in a silent, deep breath before carefully opening the door.
Tot pushes open the door to reveal a small square chamber with a circular stone pool in the center. The rim of the pool is lined with skulls that appear human. There is another door in the opposite wall about 20' away.
In the top corner of the chamber, something horrible floats. It has a blackened, bat-winged fiend’s head. Tentacles dangle from chin and scalp, and its fanged mouth hangs agape. As you look at it, it flies towards the door to attack.
Back at the back, Grod is slow to realize what's going on.
Tot pushes back the flare of fear as she sees the strange monster.
Washing Pool - Round 1
20 Isidiana
18 Ari
18 Tot
17 Creature
10 Garen
7 Grod
Just from the brief look he can get from the hallway in the dark room, Ari cannot recognize that flying horror. He knows it looks terrifying and quite evil, but that's all.
Tot moves in to give Grod and Garen a chance to come in so they can surround the thing when it swoops in to attack. She draws her sword and waits with shield ready.
Izzy D strikes a chord on her violin, fierce and imposing!
Even as she tries to figure out what this thing is.
Ari readies his bow, even though he knows it is likely useless against whatever the evil monster is....
"Sorry guys but I have no idea what that thing is...."
Izzy has no idea what this thing is, in fact anything she think it is, is probably wrong.
She moves forward as she plays, but ready to get out of the way if someone else needs by.
Washing Pool - Round 1 - continued
20 Isidiana
18 Ari
18 Tot (readying)
17 Creature
10 Garen
7 Grod
Isidiana starts strumming a tune meant to inspire her allies and advances into the back corner of the room with the pool, leaving room for others.
Tot enters the room weapon at the ready, but waits for the flying horror to come down before making an attack.
Washing Pool - Round 1 - continued
20 Isidiana
18 Ari (readying bow)
18 Tot (readying)
17 Creature
10 Garen
7 Grod
The creature, from its place in the top corner, opens its horrible mouth and emits a shriek that stills the hearts of the group. The creature waits to see the effect of its shriek on the intruders before choosing to move.
Tot starts to wince from the shriek, but then appears frozen. As she realizes she can't move, panic begins to take hold.
[dice=Fort Save DC 12]1d20+4
Tot starts to wince from the shriek, but then appears frozen. As she realizes she can't move, panic begins to take hold.
Frozen by whatever otherworldly power infuses the monster's voice, Tot watches helplessly as the thing flits about looking for its first victim.