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"Well, Karid, what does the lever do? Are you going to pull it?" Hector echoes Harlon's question, squawking with apparent impatience. Harlon's tone once again becomes the ice cold monotone that he had exhibited when first entering the cairn. A steady cloud of frigid steam emerges from the depths of his hood. He shifts from one foot to the other, trying to keep his feet warm on Shamus's cloak. "Or... since Dalzig supposedly is favoured by the goddess of death... perhaps he should be the one to pull the lever? One way or another, Rend should not be the one to pull the lever..." A hint of warmth returns to his voice as the halfling mentions the half-orc's name. "Nor I," he adds.
I rummage around in my backpack and pull out a length of rope. Tired of waiting for the unresponsive dwarf to say something, I tie the rope to the lever, retreat as far as I can from the lever and say "Clear!". giving everyone a few seconds to move before tugging the rope taught.
Exploring with orcs was never this complicated, Rend muses as he stands by shaking his head at Shamus' latest innovation.
"It's cold in here so get on with it."
Shamus gives a tug on the rope and the lever releases from its catch, sliding down into the wall until the rope stops it from recessing completely. As it does, the stone block slides up with a quiet rumble of stone on stone, almost all the way into the ceiling. It stops short of receding all the way when the lever is prevented from resetting to its original position, and seems to dangle above the alcove it was filling.
The alcove revealed by the stone slab is elaborately detailed. It features a large recessed shelf bearing a set of finely crafted architect's tools -- a plumb bob, a square angle, a pair of metal sticks that seem to be joined together at one end, and a set of hammers, chisels, and other stone flaking and shaping tools.
Above the shelf is an elaborate glyph (pardon the poor art/scan quality) that includes two symbols you've seen before, and two you haven't. All around the large glyph, and on the sides of the alcove, is extensive writing, in what appears to be thre different languages.
On the floor of the alcove is what appears to be a crushed corpse whose flesh has rotted away, and whose half rotted clothes show hints of a shiny mail shirt underneath.
"Looks like you're area of expertise Kharid." I say, eyeing the body speculatively. I pull a grappling hook from my pack and ask "Anybody got some more rope? Also, be careful; I bet that column is rigged to fall on potential tomb-robbers like us."
Rend sighs as the raised stone reveals more glyphs that the others will undoubtably want to waste time examining. Eventually, his eyes wander downwards to the crushed body on the floor.
"Looks like he has some armor. Might be magical if it's still intact after being crushed like that," he says. Then, trying his best not to step beneath the dangling stone, he reaches for the chain shirt and attempts to pull the entire body out of the alcove.
"No wait!" I shout as Rend reaches for the armor "Oh, damn."
Rend pulls the crushed corpse off the floor with a small bit of effort, and the stone block remains dangling above the alcove. You're not sure the trap has fully reset itself.
Harlon breathes a sigh of relief as Rend drags the body and nothing happens. He tries to get a better look at the glyphs.
Rend pokes at the corpse with his sword and tries to scrape away the clothing to expose the armor. He also attempts to search the body. While he's not especially put off by the smell or state of decomposition, he doesn't really want to dig into the rotting flesh with his bare hands .
After awhile, he drags Shamus away from the glyphs, ignoring any protests. "You gotta help me some more with my reading. Then I could tell if this was magical," he says, pointing at the armor.
Karid examines the glyphs and writing inside the alcove (he can read the following languages: Draconic, Dwarf, Elf, Giant, Goblin, and Orc).
Decipher Script: (1d20+5=20, 1d20+5=24, 1d20+5=9)
(1d20=16, 1d20=12, 1d20=14, 1d20=7, 1d20=16)
"What?!" I ask in surprise as the large half-orc almost picks me up and starts to drag me to the body "How the hell do expect me to tell if it's magical or not? Do I look like a g@#@*%n wizard? OR A RAG DOLL FOR THAT MATTER! Put me DOWN dammit!" Once I get to the body I kneel beside it and start searching it showing no qualms about touching the corpse, all the while muttering a few select phrases about the lumbering half-orc.
Both Karid and Dalzig recognise one of the three languages on the wall as Draconic, though it is an very archaic dialect that takes a bit of time to puzzle out. Karid recognizes another of the three languages as most likely Vaati, and this is a rich trove of written Vaati to use for study. You're not sure what the third language is. Celestial at a blind guess.
Actually, Karid, it dawns on you as you puzzle over the words in Draconic that this is in fact the same passage written three times over in three different languages, and works as a code key for understanding each language -- if you can read one, you can attempt to translate new text from the other two as you find it.
The first part of the passage that you can work out from the Draconic text:
"This is the domicile of the Architect Nadroc, who built the tomb in which you now stand. This glorious and mighty monument is the last resting place of the Wind Duke Zosiel, Brave Warrior of Aaqa, Defender of Icosiol, slain on the battlefields of Pesh by the foul demon Mishka."
The alcove revealed by the stone slab is elaborately detailed. It features a large recessed shelf bearing a set of finely crafted architect's tools -- a plumb bob, a square angle, a pair of metal sticks that seem to be joined together at one end, and a set of hammers, chisels, and other stone flaking and shaping tools.
Harlon listens to the translations provided by Karid and Dalzig with baited breath. Then, after having taken in the strange inscriptions in the alcove, the apprentice carpenter's eyes fall upon the architect's tools that lay on the recessed shelf. "Wow..." he whispers, barely audibly. "Who are the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, Karid? And when was this battle of Pesh? That Nartoc must really have been a gifted craftsman... and his tools, so magnificent, despite having been here all this time... I wonder if they might be..."
The halfling reaches tentatively for the tools (but they presumably are too high for him to reach, and even if he could reach them, he would stop himself when his hands were within a few inches of them...)
Even Hector is silent and still.
"What if that demon, Mishka, is still around," murmurs Harlon with a shudder, his back turned to the party and arms outstretched towards the tools, but hands still not touching them.
Karid wracks his brain for information on the Architect Nadroc, his tomb, the Wind Dukes, Zosie (Brave Warrior of Aaqa, and Defender of Icosiol), the battlefields of Pesh, and the foul demon Mishka.
Karid shares what little he knows with his comrades.
With Shamus taking ownership of the scavenger hunt, Rend turns back to the others. He listens intently to the translation of the inscription and leans forward to get a good look at the markings. "Reading the human tongue is hard enough," he shrugs.
Seeing Harlon eyeing the set of tools, Rend nods to the halfling. "Souls of artifact do not pass on with those of their owners. Objects are to be used, and in finding this cache, we are duty-bound."
With that, Rend reaches into the alcove and retrieves the set of architectural devices and hands them to Harlon. "There is an orcish saying 'Rag Na-raak' which, contrary to what many of my half-brethren would tell you, carries a much deeper meaning than simple theft."
"What?!" I ask in surprise as the large half-orc almost picks me up and starts to drag me to the body "How the hell do expect me to tell if it's magical or not? Do I look like a g@+*@$n wizard? OR A RAG DOLL FOR THAT MATTER! Put me DOWN dammit!" Once I get to the body I kneel beside it and start searching it showing no qualms about touching the corpse, all the while muttering a few select phrases about the lumbering half-orc.
The corpse, quite desicated and decayed, is pretty flattened, but some salvageable things remain. It is indeed wearing a shiny, undamaged mail shirt. What other possessions the dead man may have had are difficult to tell, as his clothes and what appears to be a leather sack crumble to the touch. It seems most of the items in the sack were crushed or destroyed when the stone block fell, but some items survived in small voids. In addition to the mail shirt, you find three small marble statuettes of architectural wonders -- a grand palace, a slim spire with eight connected smaller towers of different heights, and great stadium -- each finely crafted in minute detail, and each about the size of maybe a large grapefruit. You also find two slender ivory wands covered in delicate etching and a disc-shaped clear crystal about the size of your eye.
Karid wracks his brain for information on the Architect Nadroc, his tomb, the Wind Dukes, Zosie (Brave Warrior of Aaqa, and Defender of Icosiol), the battlefields of Pesh, and the foul demon Mishka.
Karid shares what little he knows with his comrades.
You vaguely remember ancient legends about a great war between the forces of Law and Chaos, that you think may have included some battle at a place called Pesh, and you think the Wind Dukes were probably associated with that somehow, if you're remembering the legends correctly, which you're not sure you are.
Seeing Harlon eyeing the set of tools, Rend nods to the halfling. "Souls of artifact do not pass on with those of their owners. Objects are to be used, and in finding this cache, we are duty-bound."
With that, Rend reaches into the alcove and retrieves the set of architectural devices and hands them to Harlon. "There is an orcish saying 'Rag Na-raak' which, contrary to what many of my half-brethren would tell you, carries a much deeper meaning than simple theft."
You snatch up the tools as fearlessly as you grabbed the body, and the block of stone remains dangling above the alcove, but as you step back, you hear the rope around the lever creak as it strains against the lever trying to reset itself.
"Uh, guys. I think that block just might fall again real soon,” says Karid with more than a hint of worry in his voice.
"Uh, guys. I think that block just might fall again real soon,” says Karid with more than a hint of worry in his voice.
"You think?!" I ask sarcastically as I drag the body away from the danger zone.
"Uh, guys. I think that block just might fall again real soon,” says Karid with more than a hint of worry in his voice.
"If you say so, Karid. But there's nothing left in there anyway, 'cept those ruins (sic). Can you make sense of them?"
After handing the tools to Harlon, Rend returns to where Shamus is carefully sorting through gore and treasure. "Hey, what's that?" he asks as he picks up the tower carving. "I wonder...maybe we're supposed to put these on the statues in the hallway. Didn't they have a hand sticking out?" In his effort to demonstrate the statues' pose, he holds his hand palm upwards and drops the carving, catching it in the nick of time with his other hand. He glances at Shamus to see if his clumsiness was noticed, then puts the object back on the ground.
The coldness in the room is making Rend impatient and the chance of him doing something really stupid seems to be growing by the minute.
I grab the statues from Rend efore he can break them and hand them to Kharid "Well? Do you think Rend's right? What do you think these are for?"
Karid studies the little statues, compares his notes, thinks for a while and finally says, “I think Rend’s idea is plausible.”
I grab the statues from Rend efore he can break them and hand them to Kharid "Well? Do you think Rend's right? What do you think these are for?"
Rend lifts his hands in mock surrender as Shamus rudely grabs the statue from him. He smirks as Karid agrees that his idea was a good one, then motions for the dwarf to lead the way.
I glare at Rend and say "Yeah, lets get out of this damned place."
Seeing Harlon eyeing the set of tools, Rend nods to the halfling. "Souls of artifact do not pass on with those of their owners. Objects are to be used, and in finding this cache, we are duty-bound."With that, Rend reaches into the alcove and retrieves the set of architectural devices and hands them to Harlon. "There is an orcish saying 'Rag Na-raak' which, contrary to what many of my half-brethren would tell you, carries a much deeper meaning than simple theft."
[/ooc]
Harlon gasps in disbelief as Rend hands him the tools. Speechless, and his beaming smile invisible beneath his hood, the halfling follows the half-orc hurriedly as the rope holding up the stone block creaks. "Rag Na-raak," whispers Harlon to himself. Hector is strangely silent, observing the tools intently from his perch on his master's shoulder. Harlon tries to guess at the value of the tools. Then, remembering where he is, he does what he can to stow the tools in his pack before following the others
Harlon
"If no one else wants to test the figurines, give them to me," Rend says as he extends his hand.
Rend takes the items and puts them in his backpack.
So, there remains at least one unexplored room in this sublevel. It's hard to tell underground, but you suspect it's getting late in the afternoon.
Karid suddenly realizes that everyone is looking at him as if they are expecting something. With a start he realizes that they want him to place the statues. “Well, ur, hmmph, of course; Ah, the ‘grand palace’ would obviously go in the hand of the, er…” With that Karid pauses and takes a long look at the humanoid statues.
It is not immediately clear which statuette goes in the palms of which statues, just by trying to associate manner of dress or other visual clue.
However, by trial and error, you manage to figure it out. When you first attempt to place the grand palace in a randomly chosen palm, it sits in the cupped hands bobbling awkwardly. The column of air is not powerful enough to lift it off the hands. The next statue you try this with lifts the grand palace into the air a short distance, but the palace is unstable and keeps falling off the air jet. On the third try however, you set the palace over the cupped hands and it rises gracefully to a height of about a foot above the palms.
With a little more trial and error, you manage to place the other two on their matching statues; each levitating perfectly in the sight line of the figure holding it aloft.
I wait quitely as Kharid fiddles with the statues. I keep my distance, should the dwarf make some critical error and once he gets them levitating I prepare to dash back down the corridor to cover in case its a trap. When nothing apparent happens I say "Well damn. Now what?"
"Wow," whispers Harlon behind Shamus, as he watches the palace float into the air. "How did they design that, Karid? And why?". Sensing the halfling's nervousness, Hector cocks his head from left to right, and keeps an eye on the party's back.
Rend beams when he sees his idea put into action. And they thought I was only good for fighting, he thinks.
"Well, seems like that worked pretty good. There's still another room past that cold brown stuff. Maybe we should check it out. Any idea how we can get in there without touching the stuff on the floor?"
Karid smiles as the riddle of the statuettes is solved. He looks at Harlon and responds to the halfling’s question by saying, “The wisdom of the builders far exceeds my own. Yes, this area definitely needs further investigation. There are mysteries yet to be solved. This area is ancient. Who knows what treasures and knowledge are awaiting our discovery.”
Rend beams when he sees his idea put into action. And they thought I was only good for fighting, he thinks.
"Well, seems like that worked pretty good. There's still another room past that cold brown stuff. Maybe we should check it out. Any idea how we can get in there without touching the stuff on the floor?"
After a moment's thought I say "Fire. We can burn it away. How much lamp oil do we have?"
After a moment's thought I say "Fire. We can burn it away. How much lamp oil do we have?"
"Seems like as good an idea as any. Long as we don't make too much smoke...I don't have any oil."
"Wow," whispers Harlon behind Shamus, as he watches the palace float into the air. "How did they design that, Karid? And why?". Sensing the halfling's nervousness, Hector c!%%# his head from left to right, and keeps an eye on the party's back.
The tomb remains disquietingly empty.
Actually, there were six statues. Three remain empty handed. A more thorough examination of the dead grave robber's pack reveals several demolished bits that may have once been three fine miniature sculptures of unknown buildings.
They're pretty smooth. It would be tricky, but you think that it's possible. It would be much easier with any kind of climbing gear.
Dungeon flora isn't really your thing, man.
However, make a Kn: Architecture/Engineering roll.
DC 25
Harlon keeps on looking at the floating miniatures. "So that's all they're supposed to do is float around above the palms of the statues? While that's certainly interesting, I was somehow expecting... more... Guess it's off to the last room, then... If it would help, I have a few flasks of oil... They're in Rend's backpack, though."
"Well, lets go play house-keeping then." I say, cursing the cold.
They're pretty smooth. It would be tricky, but you think that it's possible. It would be much easier with any kind of climbing gear.
Rend packed notoriously light for this excursion and has no such equipment. He removes his studded armor and makes a practice attempt on one of the walls away from the brown stuff.
If the practice attempt is successful, he'll confidently attempt the same in order to get past the goop. He'll trust Harlon to watch over his armor in the meantime.
Harlon cringes within the shadows of his hood as Hector heckles Rend's clumsy attempts to scale the wall. "Hector, shhh," whispers the halfling, "it isn't nice to make fun of kind Rend."
Then, speaking louder so as to be heard clearly by all: "Burning oil it is, I guess? Or can we just scrape it away?" He gingerly pokes the tip of his spear at the fungus, pulling it back quickly lest some secretion from the vegetation should damage his weapon.