Have you found anything of interest?
"Quite likely.
"The shield is enchanted, I'm not sure about the sword, and the backpack held this sketch, with some helpful comments. I wonder whom the aside about "Knight L" refers to.
"It appears that you were right about the figures in here, kneeling before the lowly. And this poor fellow tried it here he fell, to his own eternal regret. I wonder if it was the walking dead that killed him. (Perhaps I'm fortunate that I merely bowed to the crone, rather than knelt.)"
Eltariel studies the sketch carefully, then looks at the statue of the old woman again, especially the stick she seems to lean on.
"I don't know if this 'sword' is something we may find here, or something we may have to make - something we can do easily enough. There certainly seems to be some controversy about this 'Knight L' and a question of who he may have been and what he was like. On the one hand he is presented as a champion of the meek, on the other that he callously abused their support and was corrupt in some way." Eltariel tries to recall anything from History about this character.
"Either way ... I think we should search the rest of this complex before trying to crack this riddle. We may find further clues, after all, and I'd rather meddle with such powers knowing as much as possible rather than as little as we currently do."
When Layjiani gets a chance to study the findings, she concentrates on them to see if she recognizes anything familiar or that she may have heard anything about somewhere
(please roll any appropriate Knowledge checks Wellard?)
No one can recall any stories of This knight...even Eltariel fails to remember anything about him. The lines about kneeling to the meek are reflected in the murals around the roomhowever...The ways to the north and west now stand open to you
400 Xp each which should bring you to 4th level..as always on dungeon crawls you may apply your increases immediately.
Casting detect magic again, does Gashelle notice (a) the strength and flavor of the magic on the shield, or (b) whether or not anything else he's carrying is dwoemered?
"Before we head down the hall, does anyone have an idea as to how this man died? He knew about humbling himself before the lowly, do you think he tried something that cost him his life? Do you think he fell to the skeletons? (If so, then why didn't he have his weapon drawn?)
"And does anyone have any idea who's responsible for this room?"
Looking around the room, Gashelle's eyes narrow. "I notice that each of the portraits includes a picture of what looks to be the sun, a ball with a corona around it. And I can't help but notice that the ceiling decoration immediately above the statue of the crone looks very similar.
"Layjiani, before we leave this room, would you be so kind as to examine the 'sun' up here?"
There are the 4 other skeletons in the room as well .Also there are piles of sacks in the corners where the coffins once stood.
Gashelle finds a dwemor on the short sword and takes a moment to analyze the magics on it and the shield.Both show minor magics involved in their creation but a full appraisal will be needed to determine their actual status.
I should also have said that the corpse had a broken longsword beneath him when you moved the shield(my bad)so he did have a weapon drawn..It's likely that he was trapped much as the attempt was made on you and fell to the swords of the undead overwhelmed by numbers
Eltariel will examine the entire room and it's contents (sacks, murals, ceiling decoration, statue, skeletons, and the items we found) both physically and with detect magic. She'll do the sacks after Layjiani has checked them for traps and the like ...
There is no further magic in the room.
The sacks are untrapped most of them contain useless dried out spices and foodstuffs but there are also 4 sacks containing coins one contains 100 platinum pieces,2 contain 100 gold pieces each and the last contains 100 Silver pieces.
The short sword and large steel shield are both +1.
The first skeleton Eltariel examines closely is found to have its left index finger carved into what looks like a key of some sort, examination of the others reveals similar keys on each(yes it's a set of skeleton keys...and yes that is a really feeble joke don't blame me I didn't write this scenario)
"Interesting ... a fair bit of cash, four keys (but no doors yet), and a magical sword and shield. Well as Geshelle has her glaive, and Avinar," Eltariel smiles at her friend, "will not abandon Mother's Kiss, I must suggest that Holgur take the shield and Layjiani the sword?"
"Eltariel is right I have all I need in her and this" [motions to Mother's Kiss]
If there are no objections, Layjiani will take the short sword as suggested with a nod of thanks. She will also perform all the searches and checks as requested. She pays particular attention to the ceiling mural as that kind of thing greatly interests her.
As well, since she as the party's official 'door opener', if no one disagrees, she will hold onto the 'skeleton keys' for the moment.
"Interesting ... a fair bit of cash, four keys (but no doors yet), and a magical sword and shield. Well as Geshelle has her glaive, and Avinar," Eltariel smiles at her friend, "will not abandon Mother's Kiss, I must suggest that Holgur take the shield and Layjiani the sword?"
"Your offer is gracious but I am not suited for either. I need both hands to swing a weapon and I think that the short sword would be better if given to another of our ranks."
Aude has been calmly waiting for her friends to finish their investigation . She then approach the corpse
" Sorry , friend , I was waiting to see if we could find your name or your origin. You have my promess than when we'll leave this place , we'll bring your corpse with us and give you a burial in the good earth "
"Aude, I know you aren't exactly a warrior, but as none of our soldiers have a fighting style that uses a shield, would you like to use this?" I offer the priestess the shield. "I'd feel happier knowing you are better protected my friend."
Can everyone please update to 4th level
(Assuming Layjiani doesn't find anything of note...) "Which direction then? South, the direction the caskets ere trying to channel us? West, perhaps toards the toer, and answers? Or back north, past the corpse of that massive creature?
"Or might this be a good time to check how well we're doing. I've got only scratches -again, thank you Aude- but after the assassin vine outside and the mass of rotting vegetation, I am running low on spells. If e continue much longer, I'll likely lose some of my versatility in combat."
--+--+--
--+--
"I may be wrong, but I think we are under the tower itself right now, West will also take us close to those owlbears, I am thinking. South, well if there was anything else nasty the skeletons would, I think, have killed it, or it would have come with them to attack us. My feeling is South, and we'll see if we can find a place where we can camp and rest up." Eltariel thinks a moment, and does the old 'throw a rock with a light spell' trick down each of the exits we have yet to explore.
Can everyone please update to 4th level
A shield ? Why I never thought of wearing one . But I think it makes sense . I can see adventuring with you can be a little dangerous at time. . Ok I'll take it but if any of you need it later , don't hesitate to ask me for it . "
"Gashelle , no need to thank me for doing what I came here for "
" Camp in here . Why don't we go back to town ? It's not far . "
" Camp in here . Why don't we go back to town ? It's not far . "
The most succesful adventuring group is the Company of the Green Hart. Led by a rather intense transmuter named Sirena, they have a reputation for taking the most dangerous commissions...this leads to a high turn-over of personnel but the rewards are commensurately great.
"Honestly, Aude, when we walk back into Dismas, I should like to bring with us the spoils of this tower, made safe; rather than information about how others might descend to these depths. Others (and she nods toward Holgur) might be worried that our return would be anticipated by hasty competitors, or jealous treasure-seekers.
"But equally true, I'm worried that amateurs might hear of our explorations and come to see what can be seen.
"If we need to return to the New City, then of course we ought to. But till then, I think it best if we keep silence till we've swept the place of major dangers. It's safest that way."
"I agree. Besides, with some work this place could become quite an effective base of operations - if we can get into the tower itself. Some masonry work on the collapsed wall and a new gate would make it defensible, and a bit of work on some of the outbuildings would make them habitable. If the grounds are cleared up they could actually produce a healthy crop, in fact the only thing we haven't found yet is a water source. If we had one, a hundred workmen and six months could turn this into real fortress."
"I agree. Besides, with some work this place could become quite an effective base of operations - if we can get into the tower itself. Some masonry work on the collapsed wall and a new gate would make it defensible, and a bit of work on some of the outbuildings would make them habitable. If the grounds are cleared up they could actually produce a healthy crop, in fact the only thing we haven't found yet is a water source. If we had one, a hundred workmen and six months could turn this into real fortress."
"That is an interesting idea but I think we would have great difficulty getting a crew of workmen here no matter what we pay. The reputation of this tower would probably frighten them off. Even if the ghost is dealt with it's legend would remain. I would love to be wrong about that, though."
"Perhaps we'll find some stonemasons and carpenters who aren't local?"
"We're getting ahead of ourselves," Gashelle contributes with a smile.
She gestures towards the skeleton near the center of the room. "I'm sure he had lofty plans for his future as well. I think our first step is to explore the place, working to avoid his fate. I'm sure that future adventurers wouldn't mind leading an expedition down here and relieving our corpses of magical loot."
(And yes, this is Gashelle being upbeat.)
Assuming, again, that Layjiani doesn't find anything of note, before Etariel drops light down the south and west corridors, Gashelle would like to take a moment to listen.
Layjiani finds nothing unusual about any remaining feature of the room. Gashelle hears nothing of any import. Eltariels stones reveal a chamber to the south and a passage going west
"It's not that I find passages uninteresting," Gashelle notes, hoisting her glaive and heading towards the south door, "but I hate leaving unexplored rooms behind us."
Scan the room to the south with detect magic while Layjiani checks it out, then we can form up to look West ...
Avinar strips off his studded leather armor, it just feels too bulky, he then takes his position at Eltarieal's side ready to dend her at all times.
Eltariel watches Avinar taking his armour off with interest ...
The Southern Chamber reveals nothing of great interest..each coffin contains a simple carved figure of humanoid shape but bereft of features. There is nothing of Magical significance within.
While Gashelle attempts to aid someone else's Search check, she comments, "It would appear that some trap or another we triggered in the crone's chamber activated the walking dead, who otherwise rested here. Good Aude, how would your customs proceed: we have the remains of these ten, but we don't know which skeleton goes in which crypt, and in some cases, it'll be tricky sorting the piles of bones into the correct skeletons.
"Otherwise, unless there's a hidden passage somewhere in these walls, it would appear our mission lies to the west."
"The skeletons were suffused with necromantic energy," Eltariel muses. "I think their best chance of being laid to rest would be to re-inter them in the orchard, among living things and growing life. We can use one of these coffins as an ossuary later."
When the party is ready to proceed ahead, Layjiani will head down whichever tunnel is decided upon, continuing to look for traps and other dangers or points of interest. Perception (1d20+9=20)
No need for this , these were skeletons . The souls of their corpses have been to their judgement already .
"I've got it!" Eltariel suddenly exclaims. "Layjiani, you didn't find anything like keyholes in that room we left, did you? because I know what we need to do with the skeleton keys! Can you recall which was which? We're going to need them for the four towers. The answer to the tower above us will be in them. Either we need the keys to get into them, or we need them to deactivate the repulsion field."
You head west and pass intoanother chamber .This long hallway is lined with stone pillars, all off them carved into the shape of old, blind crones kneeling and supporting other crones on their backs.
Gashelle recites another cantrip for Detect Magic, and makes room for Layjiani.
The rogue steps in and does her thing, taking her time and making sure she does things properly...something about this room has her...nervous...
Avinar watches the rogue's back ready to jump in and protect a friend.
Holgur shifts back and forth on his heels to stay ready for anything that might pose a threat in the room. He hopes that any more foes they encounter will be (warm) flesh-and-blood rather than moving corpses. There is something not quite right about felling an enemy that is already dead",he thinks to himself.
Eltariel spends some time with a pen and parchment, carefully comparing their progress below ground to where they should be above it.
"Oh well," she sighs, "I hate being wrong, but we're nowhere near the tower yet. Near as I can tell we're actually a good thirty feet south of the main entrance. This makes no sense at all - why build all that fortification above ground if an enemy only has to dig a hole to find a ready-made entrance below? That also means we've passed right under the foundations of the walls."
Wellard is having trouble connecting, please be patient folks!
Oh, and here is the Map that Eltariel is looking at ...
Layjiani makes her way slowly through the room but finds nothing..nor does Gashelles Detect Magic reveal anything.
Continue on, then.