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As Theron leafs through the pages, many of them crumble; the mould damage has not been kind to the book. Theron: Using read magic as you go through the book, you determine that the following spells are still viable: comprehend languages, dispel magic, false life, gust of wind, illusory script, levitate, mage armor, magic missile, and summon monster IV.
As you page through the book, you find yourself increasingly preoccupied with the thought that there must be some secret in the book--something that nobody else knows. Your page-turning increases in pace, heedless of the destruction you are wreaking on the already-damaged pages. Eventually, you come to the final page of the book, and there, written in blood with the jagged handwriting of a madman, is just one word. THERON.
### As far as Karrik and Theron can tell, the axe is just an axe. A spooky axe, but an ordinary axe nonetheless. To recap on the items:
None of the items detect as evil. ###
###
You all separate as agreed, in an effort to reduce the chance of anyone from Ravengro discovering you've been poking around their notorious haunted prison. Outside, the late morning has become positively bucolic. The sun and a light breeze have chased away the heavy cloud that characterised the morning, and the air feels clean and fresh after the cloying, mildewy atmosphere of the prison. In the sunshine, it's even warm enough that you no longer need a coat. An hour later, you have all reassembled in Kendra's sitting room.
Theron: None of the items themselves detect as evil. You can detect evil suffusing the prison, but the items appear to be just items--which means they are not in and of themselves inhabited by the spirits that plague Harrowstone. Beyond that you can't tell much.
Feel free to continue your conversations; alternatively let me know if you want to head back to Kendra's, or continue exploring the prison. The remaining areas for exploration on this floor are:
It is approximately 10:30 am.
Raj helps Theron to empty the shelves in the way, and then hauls them away from the wall. After a few minutes of expert examination, Raj's probing fingers discover a hidden latch--when he presses it, a section of the wall swings open revealing a room no larger than a closet. It's hard to see what lies in the dark interior, but a judicious light spell solves that problem. The room contains floor-to-ceiling shelves, which are mostly empty. Only five items remain.
To Rajuna's surprise, the door doesn't just open, it shatters into fragments. As Raj dusts himself off, he can see that each piece of timber is shaped like a crude longsword, each one identical to the others. Knowledge (religion) DC 15, or 5 for followers of Iomedae:
One of the ways in which Iomedae shows her approval/support is through inanimate objects taking on the shape of a longsword. The only part of the door that remains intact is the lock. To Raj's trained eye, it looks as if it was a very good lock indeed. The room beyond is filled with shelves, and superficially appears similar to a library. The items on the shelves, however, aren't books--they're items with tags on them, each tag written in cramped script that takes you some time to decipher. The tags appear to be names--presumably names of prisoners. These must be their personal items, confiscated upon their arrival at Harrowstone. After a few minutes of exploration, you come across a few interesting items. Perception DC 20: The room appears to be somewhat smaller than you'd expect given the shape of the walls outside. You pace along the walls of the room, eventually finding a shelf containing a variety of innocuous items. With some help, you can move the shelf out to reveal a secret door behind it. The door leads to square AL28. (map link)
Lem slumps to the floor as Dragomir puts him down, coughing and hacking. The insubstantial butterfly wings unfurl from around him, beating a few times before they, too vanish. There is no sign of Theron's holy symbol, but when Lem sits up, breathing heavily, he rubs at his chest. Lem:
When you get an opportunity to look, you will discover that a mark now lies on your skin, over your heart. At first glance it appears to be a butterfly, but closer inspection reveals that the body of the butterfly is in fact a longsword, with a pommel formed of a spiral. The holy symbols of three goddesses appear to have been etched into your skin. Walter:
The voices in your mind appear to have been cowed temporarily by the massive presence that just manifested. But when you listen closely, you hear a small female voice. It is guiding you to the next room to the east, urging you through your exhaustion to find out what is in there. (Door at AE30, [url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AobhYx6mWJPAdGVsTk55YUpnbmZ6d1RBSzllWHc3LWc#gid=4](map link).) ###
It seems the voice has been forced out of Lem by Theron's impromptu appeal to his goddess. Beside Theron, Lem and Dragomir, a shimmering portal rotates into existence. Through it, you can see a dusty plain with a towering spire in the distance. A silvery line runs in a meandering course toward the spire. A voice thunders in all your minds, not so much speaking as it expresses finality through a single word.
A pallid hand, almost a translucent blue and large enough to grab Dragomir easily, extends from the portal, and closes around something--a something that until now you had been unable to perceive. A rotund, balding man in priestly robes screams silently in the hand's grip as it retreats through the portal. comes the mind-voice. And then, the portal rotates closed again, leaving only a phosphorescent spiral hanging in the air. It too soon fades to nothing. You are alone in the prison once more.
Sefick/Lem twists around as best he can, gets an arm free, and lands an elbow on Dragomir's temple. But the big man stays standing, squeezing as hard as he dares, hoping he won't hurt Lem. Hey! Theron calls, having forced his way toward the struggling pair, his holy symbol held before him. Sefick/Lem turns his head back to look--and Theron plants the holy symbol square on his forehead. The light vanishes as Lem/Sefick cloeses his eyes and squeals in agony, and the whole room begins to shake. Walter and Rose share a worried glance as pieces of the plaster in the ceiling become dislodged to smash on the floorboards below. Dragomir, Lem/Sefick and Theron are limned in a golden radiance as Theron's holy symbol sinks into Lem/Sefick's flesh. The wind in the room becomes erratic, gusting this way and that as Karrik dodges more of the falling plaster, and Septimus remains in the foyer, peering around the doorway. A pair of ghostly butterfly wings appear to sprout from Lem's back--going straight through Dragomir without any effect--and then furl themselves protectively around the little priest.
As Corvin speaks, Dragomir acts. Pushing his way doggedly through the wind, he repeats a prayer to himself. Most certain hope, O Lady the defence of all who seek thy aid in the Spiral. Dragomir reaches for Lem/Sefick, floating in the air above him, but finds himself rebuffed as though the air between him and Lem/Sefick has gained the consistency of sand. He continues his prayer. Glorious Pharasma, I pray thee now, that in the house when my eyes shall be so heavy with the darkness of undeath that I cannot see the brightness of this world, nor move my tongue to pray or call to thee, when my frail heart that is so faint shall tremble from fear of the enemies of thy natural order and shall be so stricken that all my limbs shall melt away in sweat for fear of the unnatural death... As Dragomir pushes a hand laboriously up towards Lem/Sefick, the rest of you see a spiral forming on his palm, as though he has a luminescent tattoo. Dragomir continues his entreaties, either oblivious to or not concerned by the development. then, sweet and piteous Lady, deign to look upon me with compassion and aid me that I may see with thee the company of angels and the Legions of those who await thy judgment, and that the troublous and frighted enemies by that help shall have no sight, presumption or suspicion of evil against me, nor any hope or power of banishing me from thy company. As though in response to Dragomir's words, a sound like cracking rock echoes through the room, and the big man's hand finally closes on Lem/Sefick's ankle. He draws the little priest back down into a bear hug and closes his eyes before continuing his prayer. Instead, most gentle Lady, may it please thee to remember my prayer to thee now, to bless this man's soul in thy blessed faith, in thy keeping and defence. O gate of paradise! O Lady of the Throne of Judgement, and of prophets, I make thy sign and lift up mine eyes and bend my knee before thee. O most gentle Lady, by thy joy when thy holy soul departed thy body unspotted and fearless, to be borne in the midst of thy keeping in the boneyard, I pray thee that thou wilt succour and present him in this dread hour. When death shall be so near, Lady, be to my and to his soul, a comfort and refuge and defence, so that the cruel enemies who defy thy will and the comfort of the grave, may not know even the shadow of victory, be it temporary and fleeting... Lem's body, at this point seemingly with several pieces broken off it, snaps back together in an instant. Lem/Sefick struggles to escape Dragomir's grip.
A visible shockwave--seemingly formed of an endless tide of tiny skulls--emanates from the possessed halfling, forcing everyone to take a couple of steps backward. The chill of the grave clings to you as you feel it pass over you, and your mind is filled with despair. Fighting his way through the mind-numbing anguish, Theron does his best to stand tall, the way an inquisitor should in circumstances like these. He presents his holy symbol--perhaps more for his own benefit than out of any hope that it would have an effect on Corvin's ghost. "In The Inheritor's name you will leave this body, foul spirit! You have no place here, and the gods that you have dared to mock are arrayed against you!"
###
###
Raj stalks his way back to the auditorium, his voice pitched low but forceful, each sentence a hammer with which he intends to break the spirit's will. "मैं Encarthan के क्षेत्रों पर मृत्यु हो गई है और सुबह तक नहीं है.* And if you know what that means, you know what I am... and you also know how far I'll go. So here is my one-time, non-negotiable, take-it-or-go-f~%!-yourself offer... You will leave the Priest right now or this doesn't end til I'm stepping on your incorporeal throat and crushing the unlife outta you. You wanna live? You better walk." A momentary silence greets Raj's ultimatum as Rose kneels down next to Lem and carefully pours Karrik's potion into Lem's mouth. "Stay with us, Lem, c'mon and just stay with us." In response, Lem swallows, and then begins convulsing again, as the pain returns. He lets out a scream that sets everyone's teeth on edge, and then begins speaking--but his voice deepens from his normal resonant tenor to the deep, contemptuous intonations of the mysterious booming voice.
Good work...carry on! Still a few people left to act this round, namely Raj, Karrik, Septimus and Walter.
### Theron, the chains are insubstantial. You wouldn't be able to hang the weight on them if you tried. Sorry! From the reaction of the spirit before: "YOU are the one who awaits the judgement of the gods, charlatan! Show yourself and be bound again!"The voice laughs in response, though with the ragged edge of madness. I'm not sure there'd be any reaction at all. Your threats didn't seem to carry any weight earlier, if you'll pardon the pun. ; ) ### Lem continues to be bound by the chains, and is your only concern at the moment, with the cold spot gone. By my estimation everyone except Lem is still free to act--and Dragomir, your prayers are indeed helping, I just can't show it without pulling aside more of the curtain than I would like. : ) Carry on!
Septimus dithers in the doorway. Raj raises himself up to his full height as he bellows out his challenge: It's the thief's turn to bellow out a laugh he doesn't much feel, "Dissent s'all you'll get from me, Father FRAUD! You're just another convict running your mouth near as I can tell. Izzat cool breeze all you got to go with your hot air? I should peddle your ass as an ice-cube maker." Raj pulls the cap on the haunt siphon, hoping it works. As Walter's flame-wreathed hands tear into the invisible substance of the malevolent spirits causing the cold, Raj opens his haunt siphon. Space around the thief and the young man pulses slightly, as ripples across the surface of a pond, as the haunt siphon starts to draw in any free spiritual energies. Both Raj and Walter can feel the weak tug on their being as a vortex forms at the now-open mouth of the siphon, whirling without sound or breeze as it draws in the tortured souls who make up the haunt. As the vortex vanishes, Raj slams the cap back home, and the siphon glows green. There is a momentary silence and then the booming voice releases an ear-splitting scream that makes you all cringe.
In the doorway to the weapon training room, Lem begins to thrash about once more, his face back to a strained grimace.
Lem, another Will save please. I will sort out the PMs when I'm able.
Lem: Yep, one more. I will resend the PM. : )
Hey Lem, still need you to make those Will saves, as per PMs. : )
Karrik throws a potion to Rose (no need for an attack roll, but it will take Rose a move action to catch it) while moving to support Raj in his deception. (That means we have Lem, Septimus, Rose and potentially Dragomir (although he has at present forfeited any actions for the turn) left to take actions. If they haven't posted within 24 hours or so I will move on.) Raj, like last time, I'll resolve your bit at the end of the actions for the turn.
Theron: The aura near the foyer is attached to the doors themselves, and is faint.
The aura surrounding Lem is moderate in power, and appears to be inhabiting Lem directly, but you doubt you can damage it by firing e.g. disrupt undead or cure spells at Lem himself. It seems more akin to possession than anything else. The cold spot (moderate aura) has moved to occupy Raj's square, but it appears to have a physical tie to the dock. You speculate that it can move around the room but that if you deal positive energy damage to the dock itself you might be able to weaken its hold on the material plane. This, however, would not be as effective as dealing damage directly (or Raj using the haunt siphon he has in his hand).
Walter plunges his hands, wreathed in flame, into the area Theron indicates is the most likely hiding spot of the spirits causing the freezing temperatures, but the young man finds nothing substantial to grab ahold of. The flames on his hands flicker uncertainly, but do not dissipate. Meanwhile, Raj's voice booms out from the other end of the room.
The booming voice laughs. Quickly, the iron bars separating Raj from the rest of the auditorium begin growing a coating of frost. The thief can feel the air becoming colder, his breath fogging the air in front of him as tiny needles prick the inside of his lungs. Raj has definitely got the attention of at least one of the spirits. Raj takes points of cold damage, and please attempt a DC 11 Fortitude save or take one point of Strength damage. Dragomir muscles Lem out of the room and back into the weapon training room. The little priest remains unconscious, but his breathing appears more even after Rose's ministrations.
Theron: you can't narrow it down any more at this stage. Rose: thanks for the reminder, one of my GMs likes to house-rule that drinking a potion is a move action and administering a standard action, so I often get confused on that front!
### Theron: an inquisitor's detect alignment ability is indeed a spell-like ability, but y'know, it's not that big a deal. : ) ### Dragomir moves to pick Lem up--but not before Rose administers a healing potion that restores some colour to Lem's cheeks. (I presume it's a potion of cure light wounds; in which case Lem can have hit points back.
Karrik and Septimus remain in the doorway to the foyer, viewing the scene and trying to work out what they can do to help. Walter asks Theron to provide him with some guidance, while Theron looks around the room, trying to divine the location of the spirits. Theron:
As you look around the room you find three distinct entities surround you. One is somewhere in or near the foyer. One is tied to (but not inhabiting) the chains that wrap Lem tightly. A third is in the centre of the room (I have marked the squares on the map in blue where it might be located). The strongest aura is moderate in power (meaning, presuming it's undead, that it has 3-8 HD). Raj takes to the podium and passes judgement on the spirits threatening Lem's life.
Before we can move on, Theron can point out to Walter where the spirit might be located, and Walter can choose a square and attack it. Walter, feel free to read the Theron spoiler if he hasn't already posted.
### Raj bursts onto the podium and grabs hold of a gavel on the desk, hefting it experimentally. Rose draws upon her heritage, her normally flat white eyes becoming misty as though filled with boiling clouds that slowly revolve into a spiral as she looks around the room. Anyone who is close enough to look into her eyes feels like they are staring into a whirlpool. At the touch of Walter’s hands, Lem’s frantic convulsions subside and his face, until now locked in a grimace, relaxes to its normal serene countenance. Dragomir, unsure what to do when there is no corporeal threat, stands protectively over Lem, while from the foyer, Karrik and Septimus attempt to break the door down once more, and with a mighty heave it splinters open. Theron, worrying that Lem is running out of time, calls upon Iomedae’s aid to find the spirits that are vexing him and his companions. The voice bellows out once more. Lem, Rose, Theron, Dragomir and Walter once again all take points of damage, and please attempt another DC 11 Fortitude save or take 1 point of Strength damage. The cold is by now becoming unbearable. Crystals of ice are forming on the shoulders of Walter’s coat, on Dragomir’s blade, on Rose’s hair, and around the potion vial Theron holds in his hand. It’s all Theron can do to steady his hands so he can unstopper the vial without dropping it. (Lem is now on 0 hit points and disabled, but not yet dying.)
Rose: Lem is fragile. The entity controlling the chains appears to be undead--but you only see a diffuse miasma around Lem, nothing that you could actually strike at. There is also an undead presence in the room, but it is again so diffuse as to be impossible to target--at least by the senses you have available to you at present.
Theron:
No, unfortunately. It does tell you that the current theory out of Lepidstadt University has cold spots down as disembodied vapours; if you could just pinpoint it you might be able to damage it. Have any ways to see something that's invisible? Walter: I'm fine with keeping things the way they are. Don't go adjusting anyone's hit points, or spells, or anything like that. I am quite comfortable saying Walter found untapped inner reserves he didn't know he had, and that's where the protection from evil came from. Oracles seem weird to the other inhabitants of Golarion at the best of times anyway. : )
Theron: Correct, no action for a Knowledge check. Here's what you figure:
Raj: you find a gavel on top of the desk. Even a 7 should manage that. ; )
Sorry for any confusion; your Round 0 actions were the ‘run away’ bit. We’re now in Round 1. So in Round 0:
Now in Round 1:
Hope that makes it clearer! ###
Raj:
Your attempt to gain the spirits’ attention will have to happen in Round 2; I think it deserves at least a standard action. Please make a Perform (act) check, unless you have a better idea about what sort of check to make. Rose draws upon her arcane power and sends a bolt of white energy at the chains binding Lem, but the beam passes straight through the chains and hits Lem in the chest. The halfling gasps, as if in pain, but remains unconscious. The booming voice chuckles, and then launches into a diatribe. Lem writhes as the chains tighten, the colour draining from his cheeks as creases appear on his face; he seems to be aging before your eyes. Lem:
For failing the Will save, you take points of damage. More detail via PM. Dragomir, desperate, tries to shake Lem awake, but his efforts appear to have no effect—and his hands pass straight through the chains. They feel cold. Dragomir’s breath clouds the frigid air as he calls for Lem to wake up. Theron strides into the room, the weight stamped with Iomedae’s holy symbol held high before him. "YOU are the one who awaits the judgement of the gods, charlatan! Show yourself and be bound again!" The voice laughs in response, though with the ragged edge of madness. Theron:
Even with all your training, you can’t spot the haunt…it doesn’t seem to have a form. Feel free to try a Knowledge (religion) check with your monster lore bonus included. That might give you some insight. Finally, Walter skids in on his knees, frantically attempting to shoulder Dragomir out of the way as he seeks to place his hands on Lem’s unconscious form. Power flows from the young man’s hands and into Lem. thunders the disembodied voice. The air in the room becomes even colder. You can feel its pinch on your exposed skin. Lem, Rose, Theron, Dragomir and Walter all take points of damage from the cold, and please attempt a DC 11 Fortitude save or suffer 1 point of Strength damage. Raj can feel the cold air but is far enough away that it merely makes him uncomfortable. Septimus and Karrik are protected by the still-closed door. ###
Lem only:
Check your PMs. : ) Lem crumples up and falls bonelessly to the floor. As soon as he does so, spectral chains spring up all around him, wrapping themselves around him and almost encasing him from head to toe. Rose, Dragomir:
You are close enough to make out several holy symbols that decorate the chains. The most prominent is that of Iomedae. booms a voice, seemingly coming from everywhere. ###
See this post, which relates to a sequence of posts starting with this one. Of course, that was almost a year ago... ; ) ### Perception rolls
Initiative rolls
Walter's mind is wrapped up in some conundrum, but Septimus shivers down the back of the room, and then moves to follow Raj. The thief kicks the double doors in expertly, and they swing back smoothly on their hinges to bang into the walls. Behind Raj, Karrik also barrels through the doors, followed by Septimus. Theron sprints out the doors on the other side of the room, dragging Walter behind him by the collar of the young man's coat. Lem stands firm against the rising spirits and Dragomir grips his blade uncertainly, while Rose doesn't notice what's going on until it's too late. ### What Walter & Theron see:
Lem's voice still rings in your ears as he intones his sermon. Then, you watch as the little priest, Rose and Dragomir all double over in pain. At the same time, across the other side of the auditorium, Septimus reaches out and closes the doors behind him, leaving the five of you alone in and near the auditorium. What Raj, Karrik & Septimus see:
You all hurry through the doors, and find yourself in a marble-tiled foyer. It has seen better days; the corners are full of dirt and accumulated dust, and your footfalls kick up clouds of the stuff as you enter. You just have time to get your bearings and see where all the other entrances and exits are when you hear a howling noise from behind you--thinking it's Lem, you turn and peer back into the auditorium, just in time to see a cloud of screaming, burning faces erupting from the doors you just came through, as they slam shut, trapping you in the foyer. Somewhere, someone laughs. What Rose, Lem & Dragomir experience:
As the others bolt out of the room, you are left alone; the air becomes cold--colder than a snowy winter's day. The cold air bites as you breathe it in, feeling like tiny daggers in your lungs, and making you feel weak and lethargic. Inexplicably, Septimus closes the double doors behind him.
You take points of damage, and please make me a Fortitude save (DC 11) or take 1 point of Strength damage. Lem only:
Lem, please attempt a Will save. ### Raj, Karrik and Septimus are free to act. The rest of you, can you please wait to post any actions until Lem posts? You're more than welcome to post internal thoughts/reactions. Thanks!
Dragomir's sunrod spirals down into the darkness, before landing in a pond with a splash. It sinks around another eighteen inches to the bottom of the pond and comes to rest. The area beneath, illuminated dimly, seems much more a cavern than a functional room. The remains of the lift are visible in the pool, as are several mounds of bones and splintered beams. The fire evidently precipitated the collapse. The walls of the cavern are caked in soot and covered in various forms of fungus and lichen. Water drips slowly down the walls to collect in the pool directly beneath the hole. At least nothing stirs after the invasion. ### A few minutes later, everyone is examining the auditorium, after Raj and Karrik's somewhat comedic attempts at bringing the door down. The room is empty save for the furniture: several dozen timber pews, their varnish long since worn away, are arranged neatly, extending from the back of the room all the way to within ten feet of the podium at the front of the room. On the back wall are portraits of what look like knightly men--it's hard to tell under the mould. Septimus heads down the back to examine them. At the front of the room, a raised podium is separated from the area of seating by a span of iron bars. To the east, a dock is raised a few feet off the floor, a simple timber bench and a steel loop for attaching manacles evidence of its function. It seems the room was used at least part of the time as a courtroom, explaining why the dais is blocked off from the rest of the room. Septimus calls out from the back of the room. "Hey...come and look at this, I think I've found something..." Before he can complete his sentence, however... Perception DC 10:
...the temperature in the room begins to drop abruptly. If you succeeded on your Perception check, roll initiative. If you failed, sorry, you'll have to wait. Initiative >=10:
The sudden chill in the room can mean only one thing--spirits from beyond the veil are reaching out to draw you in. (In game rule terms, this is a haunt, but let's not let the rules get in the way of a good story.) You can't tell where the haunt is manifesting, precisely; the chill appears to affect the entire auditorium. ### I will post something at Initiative 10 when everyone who scored better has acted, and then we'll move on. : )
Dragomir's stone takes less than a second to make a 'plop' noise as it vanishes into the gloom. If your INT is >14:
You know that means the drop is roughly ten feet. Exploration options:
Raj is indeed right, the podium in the auditorium is protected by a row of iron bars. There is no door in the bars to batter down, they appear to be there to separate the two areas of the auditorium. Raj and Karrik give the training room a cursory glance, but find nothing of interest in it.
Possibly to Walter's surprise, his blow with the quarterstaff shatters the skull into fragments. All is quiet once more. ### Judging by the weapon racks and training dummies in the room, you assume you're in some kind of weapon training room--presumably for the prison guards. Walter:
You are drawn to the hole in the floor--it appears this is where the fire started, its flames strong enough to collapse the wooden supports that would have been used to prop up the ceilings in the level below. Knowledge (engineering) DC 10: Looking at the hole, and the remains of the winch and pulley system attached to the ceiling above it, it seems obvious that this was once a lift shaft, although the fire has destroyed the equipment required to make the lift work again.
Rose's strikes destroy the skull. Just Walter and Septimus to go. If they haven't posted by the morning I'll finish off the round. (That's about 20 hours or so from now.)
Both Theron and Dragomir miss, but Karrik's ensorcelled morningstar shatters the skull into fragments. Raj's strikes also fail to connect.
Dragomir steps across and smashes one of the skulls into flaming debris. Theron draws his bow, fires and arrow and destroys another of the floating skulls. Rose, seeing Dragomir destroy the skull she had originally been targeting, shifts her attention to another, her spell landing a hit* and seriously damaging one of the skulls. Lem's magically-enhanced stone flies true, creating a crack in the skull he targeted. Raj's followup blow finishes it off. Septimus bends down and retrieves a chunk of masonry from the floor, before throwing it with relish at FS#3.
The rock does minimal damage. ### [ooc]Team Skull's Turn
Rolls to hit:
One of the skulls' attacks rebounds off Karrik's shield spell. ###
### *Wow, I've been running games wrong for years. I only made combatants flat-footed in the surprise round. Whoops.
Dragomir smashes one of the skulls to smithereens. (Which one, Dragomir?)
As Raj throws his shoulder against the door it doesn't so much fly off its hinges as it does crumple into a wet mess of broken timber and mildew. A few kicks and swipes with Dragomir's greatsword clear away the remaining chunks of rotten timber, although it does send up a cloud of spores that everyone judiciously avoids. The room beyond is a mess. The eastern wall is missing in some sections and damaged in others, with large cracks showing slivers of the prison grounds outside the building. Around the room are weapon racks--some still containing rusted weaponry--and training dummies, some of which have fallen over or collapsed under the sheer weight of mould. The waters of the lake lap in quiet susurrus over the flagstones, many of which are broken as though by a mighty upheaval of earth. Although perhaps, given the large hole that dominates the centre of the room, the earth fell away rather than rose up. The hole itself is large enough to fit a horse down. All around the edges of the hole, black scorch marks mar the flagstones. A cursory examination reveals there is no obvious way down, and that it appears to be a drop of roughly twenty feet to the subterranean level below. The lake water--driven by the wind--pours into the hole and tumbles down to a small pond below. Beyond that, there is little time for reflection, as a noise to the southwest distracts everyone. From under the rubble, six grinning skulls appear, floating in mid-air, and then burst into flames. They charge toward you, grinning maniacally.
Team PC average: 17
Team Flaming Skull average: 11 Team PC Wins!
There is indeed a door there. You could go through it, but you'll need to make a Strength check--and you'll still be ankle-deep in the lake water. Having said that, Raj's Strength check above is good enough to bust the door open, should you want to go that way. If I don't see anything else before tomorrow morning, I'll assume that's the way you're all headed.
### You venture through the doors in the short corridor outside the stairs. You find yourselves in the main corridor of the ground floor of the prison. There is little to no light in these corridors, with all the doors shut and no visible windows. You are forced to rely upon the various light spells you have cast on your equipment to explore safely--and even so, at one point Septimus steps on a rotten floorboard and has to be helped out of the resulting hole. There is an eerie silence on this level. No wind playing through the open windows, no shuffling of tiny rodent feet--nothing. It's like being in a silence spell. Or perhaps an ancient tomb. ### Exploration options:
Other rooms are at present only accessible by going through one of these rooms first. (map link) |