Gothard looks back to the pool and carefully venture out into the water, intent on retrieving the axe. Once it is in his possession, he returns to shore and closely examines it to determine what kind of condition it is in.
perception:
"We should most likely make sure that this thing is dead and that there are no traps around this axe"
Alyosha checks the water for any traps:
Perception:
Smian eyes the octopus corpse cautiously, slowly approaching the area to get a better look at the axe Gothard is holding.
He nods to himself, satisfied that the octopus is finally dead.
"Interesting," Smian murmurs as he turns his attention to the axe. He studies the blade, trying to discern more about the item.
Alyosha sees no traps or danger.
Gothard recovers a battle axe of masterwork quality.
Smian is able to further confirm it possesses magical properties.
Gothard swings the axe and smiles slightly. "If there are no objections, I'd like to make use of this axe for the forseeable future."
"No Objections from me. You have earned that axe and more!"
Alyosha begins to look at all four the passages leading from this room and attempts to check for any traps at the entrances.
Perception:
While he doubts he could fight properly with the axe Addam raises an eyebrow from behind the elf, who did most of the tanking that round? ;)
"Its probibly best not to wait around to long in here, we should continue moving."
Smian takes 10, and identifies the magic weapon as a 'Keen +1 Battle Axe'
Perhaps you are feeling shaken up after the giant octopuses surprise attack. It occurs to you that you could easily exit the cavern, repair the light house, and wait things out in relative safety.
One might also begin to suspect that this island must hold something of great importance for Ieanna to go through the lengths that she did in order to get here.
Alyosha begins to look at all four the passages leading from this room and attempts to check for any traps at the entrances.
No traps are located, and everything seems calm. You here water drips echoing throughout unseen chambers. The same drips can be heard from the east, west, and south exits leading you to believe that they are not isolated, but further connected with each other.
"I suggest going East and any fork we come across, take the East fork at the point. If we always go he same direction we can't get lost."
"That sounds like as good a plan as any," Smian shrugs.
The party takes the eastern passage.
Again the composition of the tunnel changes when the passage empties into another room. Smooth carved stone lines a rectangular chamber 20' wide and 110' long.
This long chamber evokes the feel of an ancient, hideous cathedral. The walls are carved with images of serpents walking upright like humans snakes coiling around and eating hapless women and children, and stranger scenes.
Four stone pillars carved like coiling snakes support the vaulted ceiling 30 feet above. To the north, an immense carving of a snake’s head looms, an ash-caked door clenched in its jaws, while to the south rises a horrific mound of bones and partially decayed bodies in an eight-foot-tall heap arranged almost as if to evoke the imagery of a coiled snake made of corpses.
perception:
religion:
history:
spellcraft:
Gothard carefully approached the heap of corpses to investigate it more closely with the intent of scattering the pile.
Perception:
Perception:
Perception:
Alyosha will take a look around the room for any traps.
Perception:
The carvings and stonework are ancient, perhaps thousands of years, Smian thinks, maybe....
Smian notes that the ashes by the door were likely the result of a spell.
Rorie finds several empty potion vials nearby. They look very similar to the one's that he had seen Ieana carrying once or twice aboard the Jenivere.
Past the ashes beyond the door way, lies a small room which appears to be the cathedrals inner sanctum.
The walls of the chamber are carved with images of anthropomorphic serpents using strange, pointed megaliths of stone to work great feats of magic—transforming an army of humans into zombies, calling down flaming bolts of lightning from the stars, or parting the waters of the sea to dash human ships upon the exposed rocks of the seabed below.
This final image seems to have been recently cleaned of dust, and several lines of text have been made more legible via the application of inks and perhaps blood.
Knowledge History:.
"Bah," Smian grunts, analyzing the strange writing on the wall of the sanctum. "I'm unable to make any sense of this writing. I don't suppose any of you can read this?"
Gothard throws one of his throwing axes into the inner sanctum to determine if there is a spell that engulfs people in flames when they try pass the doorway's threshold.
attack:
Blue cautiously looks over the pile of corpses. He takes his time.
Afterwards, Blue makes his way over to where the others are examining the carved images and text.
After his cautious search of the corpses, Blue examines the final image showing the exposed rocks of the seabed.
Knowledge/nature:
Gothard's axe passes through the doorway normally.
Smian enters and identifies the carvings as contemporary with ancient Azlant.
Carefully examining the architecture of the mound of bodies, Blue is horrified to realize that the construction is in fact an altar composed of the dead.
Blue then joins Smian and is able to identify part of the carvings as the Red Mountain.
Smaller carvings nearby depict serpentfolk splashing blood on curved runes carved on upright stones before the red mountain, and then holding venomous snakes against the blood that they might lick the stones, pouring water onto a pyramid-shaped block of red stone from a bowl, and standing before the pyramid of stone with arms upraised and mouths agape as if shouting to the heavens as a bolt of lightning arcs up from the stones into the sky.
Under this is a long series of symbols and runes that none of you understand or recognize.
There is an exit to the south that takes a westward curve. There is also the passage to the west which you took from the pool cavern.
"We should destroy this altar as well, perhaps setting the bodies on fire would be best. It will purify the dead and destroy the altar at the same time.'
The environmental conditions of the caverns slowed decomposition and preserved the corpses skin and hair, but they burn quickly all the same.
The chamber quickly begins to accumulate choking smoke that drafts towards the pool room.
I crouch down. "This is a horrid smell. We should move to another room..."
The smoke virtually forces you into the south passage.
It bends west and shortly opens to a small natural cavern. It is empty except for a few words carved into the wall, which none of you comprehend.
A north exit leads back to the pool room, as indicated by the wafting smoke. Avoiding the smoke you continue to along through a passage that leads west.
This tunnel curves northward and leads to another natural room.
Bones lie strewn about the floor of this cavern. The grisly
remains appear to have been gnawed upon so that they are
cracked and jagged.
An eastern exit accounts for the final spoke leading to the pool room. Another exit heads west. The sound of moving water is pronounced from somewhere down the passage.
Addam will go over to the bones and attempt to identify them.
Knowledge:Nature -
"We keep going then?"
"We should be wary of whatever chewed on those bones.'
To Addam, Smian says, "Yes, but we must keep our guard up"
Addam is able to identify bones from all kinds of creatures large and small but they largely belong to fish and small animals. Larger remains are present, including humanoid remains.
Alyosha searches the area.
Nothing is found.
Finding nothing else of interest in this room you continue west.
A cavern ledge leads down to a small sandy beach in this large cave,
the majority of which is taken up by a sloshing pool of seawater.
The beach shows evidence of tidal activity. It appears to be currently low.
There is a vertical tunnel in the north east corner of the room. It goes up ten feet and appears to bend east, to the best that you can see.
Alyosha searches for traps.
Nothing is found.
Addam walks over to the beach area outside the cavern to see what is around and attempt to determine where they are in relation to the canibals village.
Perception Check 1 (see what he can see):
Perception Check 2 (determine the parties location):
Addam approaches the beach to the edge of the foamy green water. The ground is littered with pebbles and very small pieced of wood debris.
The water extends out nearly 200 feet before meeting a downward sloping cave wall. Your light spell reflects dropping arches and columns carved over many millennia.
"Whatever you guys decide is best, I'm somewhat of a loss here. We should keep pushing on however we can."
"Agreed. I don't like the idea of lingering around here for any longer than we need to."
"If someone has a rope, I'm willing to try a climb."
"I have a rope and a hook, and I can climb as well. Shall we both go and scout then?"
"Aye"
Climb:
Try again: Climb:
Rorie tries twice to climb and falls.
Fortunately for him, he has five allies there to catch him, and he receives no injuries.
"well... we Dwarves be nothing if not stubbern..."
Try once more:
Alyosha suggests throwing up the grappling hook first.
Addam looks at the group... smiling to himself. "Let me try, I should be able to handle this..."
Climb:
Once I get to the top I will attempt to see what I can see.
Perception:
Gothard throws the grappling hook and begins to climb after making sure it's secure
attack:
climb:
Blue studies the area for tidal activity, and takes another look at the beach, the water and the vertical tunnel.
"Hmmm." Blue scratches his chin and thinks back to the emptying of the bay by Red Mountain.
Knowledge/nature:
Blue detects nothing unusual about the composition of this particular cavern or its tidal activity.
Gothard sets the hook and easily climbs up, followed by Addam. They help everyone else get up the tunnel and back on horizontal ground.
You face east where the tunnel widens and continues on for sixty feet or so. The ceiling is just under six feet, causing the taller members of the party to bend and hunch awkwardly. This long cavern is scattered with bones, body parts, and bits of seaweed. You can see that the other end of the tunnel takes a turn north.
Addam hears a low groaning sound coming from that same direction.
Addam tells the rest of the party what he hears... "This is going to be difficult fighting hunched over like this." Addam unsheaths his sword and prepares himself for possible combat. He slowly continues down the tunnel.
"Perhaps we should let the shorter party members go in front so we don't impede them." Gothard adjusts his equipment the best he can, but is worried about how he can fight in these conditions.