Giving up on the walls, Rin falls to his knees and scrambles through the arcane litter on the floor. It's a hopeless task really, but he gives it a go.
After a few minutes of searching, Drivish holds up a rat skull. "Maybe a live one these took off with it."
"Hmpf. Good riddance I say. No reason to be carryin' around some poor deaders hand everywhere. Let's get goin'."
"I agree. Lets go on."
Lafiel draws her sword and dagger and sneaks in and looks around a bit, not getting close to the pyramid.
Any exits ?
Lafiel waits for someone to come with her, and approaches the pyramid-like structure, examining but not touching it.
If nothing interesting is found, she'll advance to the altar and do the same there.
|
Any exits ?
Lafiel waits for someone to come with her, and approaches the pyramid-like structure, examining but not touching it.
If nothing interesting is found, she'll advance to the altar and do the same there.
No exits.
The pyramid reveals no secrets to Lafiel. It is more of a ziggurat, with steps, but the steps are too shallow to be meant to be climbed by humans.
On inspecting the altar, she discovers a depression in the shape of a 5-pointed star, with each point of the star cut in the shape of a rampant dragon. There also seems to be a a mechanism concealed beneath the altar.
Lafiel takes the pendant she found earlier out of her pack and compares it to the depression without touching it.
Afterwards, she checks the mechanism under the altar:
Perception (1d20+6=24)
Thievery; Disarm Trap (1d20+12=25)
|
|
Lafiel takes the pendant she found earlier out of her pack and compares it to the depression without touching it.
Afterwards, she checks the mechanism under the altar:
Perception (1d20+6=24)
Thievery; Disarm Trap (1d20+12=25)
Looks like it would fit.
Lafiel
Rin follows Lafiel, his eyes popping at the sight of the ancient altar and ziggurat.
"Ziggurats are a bit of theme." he says quietly.
"I don't think either the altar or the ziggurat are magical - but that doesn't mean they aren't. Just that I haven't spotted it."
Rin looks around to see if anything else about the room catches his eye.
"It appears the depression is some kind of key hole which is connected to a mechanism below. I can trigger it without the pendant or disable it. In any case, I'm not sure we have any true options - we need to somehow advance from here."
"Which choice would pose the least risk for you, Lafiel?"
"Use the pendant. That seems to be its purpose. If we need to use the keyhole again for some reason and you've disabled it, we could be in even more trouble."
Lafiel nods and puts the pendant in the depression.
|
|
A grating sound echoes through the chamber, and dust begins to sift down from the ceiling. Two of the chamber’s eight walls fall away. To one side is a glimmering portal wreathed in blue flames. To the other side is a narrow footbridge arching out into darkness. At the end of the bridge you can spy a glinting silver coffer.
How long is the bridge ?
"Oh, now that's impressive."
Drivish moves closer to the portal, halberd in hands, his mouth agape. "My first thought is that the coffer is a trick. Something to distract any enemy that discovered this."
Rin looks from the misty portal to the coffer and back again. "They're both quite distracting really. Personally I'd prefer not to cross another bridge today, which makes me prefer the portal, but let's see what everyone else thinks."
"I'll put my vote for the portal as well. The apemen seem to belong to such a swampish enviroment."
Drivish volunteers himself, "I can try going through first.", he says while attaching the rope around his waist. "Any advice?"
"Don't fall neck deep in mud. That'll be my job."
|
|
Drivish, rope attached, steps through the portal. Immediately:
Drivish:
Everyone else:
"Now that cannot be good." Rin sounds slightly shaken.
"It's also definitely magical, so I'm going after him." Visibly shaking, the mage puts his hands on the rope and heads into the portal.
Lafiel draws her sword and enters the portal as well.
"Errm. Contrary to appearances, that rope doesn't actually go through the portal," Rin points out rather uneasily.
"Shall we wait for the others to worry enough to join us or just go and get them? If we can go and get them."
He shifts his feet gently in the gloop. "Mucky, isn't it?"
Lafiel points at the small island and whispers "I have a bad feeling about that". Somehow she manages to move out of sight, towards the island, trying to get a better look at it.
|
|
Lafiel points at the small island and whispers "I have a bad feeling about that". Somehow she manages to move out of sight, towards the island, trying to get a better look at it.
Lafiel, Rin, Drivish:
Pat, Drivish, Rin
Lafiel steps off the platform and falls to the water. Somehow she manages to get hold of the platform again, and pulls herself up. Turning to Rin, she says : "That island seems suspicious to me. Would you mind touching it magically somehow ?"
"I can try." Placing himself carefully at the very centre of the platform, Rin tries to concentrate. "How big is this thing anyway? Since you're already down there, can you prod about a bit Lafiel? Gently for preference."