Risl heard the commotion down at the end of the room, and was only faintly aware of what was going on as she continued to search the room. She tapped the floor with her quarterstaff, watching it collapse in, thrusting her arm in the air with a triumphant, "AHA!" Risl hollared as if she had just outsmarted something way more important than it was.
So, to the end of the hall she went, oblivious to the fact that Alton had found a safe passage to the door. As she reached the last pillar, Risl turned again to her right and over-confidently began to step into the unfamiliar hallway. Luckily, she realized her error before she stepped, pausing with her knee awkwardly in the air. She tucked it back down where she stood, glad no one could see her.
Risl squinted again looking for any more traps, tapping with her quarterstaff as she went. Still overly excited about finding the previous trap, the gnome wasn't quite as careful as she could have been.
Risle investigates the path back to the others carefully. As she walks she almost misses another of the switches, like the one near Talis. While she cranes her head back to peer around the corner the floor underneath her gives way, sending her tumbling into another pit. She lands hard on a very thin pillow. Hearing her cry Ooro flies over and lands on the edge of the pit looking down at her curiously.
"The door is here, but it appears to be locked by some mechanism. Anyone see anything that might open it?" Alton begins to make his way around the room looking for more pits or anything that may open to door. As he walks past the open pits containing Risl and Talis he reaches down to help them out. "Probably won't find much down there."
Talis hisses through her teeth in pain after falling into the pit. She quickly inspects Emrys for any injuries and--after seeing that the snake is still alive--begins climbing out of the pit in a most unladylike fashion.
Head still ringing from the fall Risl stands up. She sways a little, putting a hand to the wall of the pit to stay upright. A smile of cheerful determination cross her face as she tries to scale the wall.
When Talis stands Emrys slithers down here leg and coils around a small pouch. He holds onto it as Talis puts him in his place, checking for injuries. It feels like there are several coins within that account for the hard lump she landed on. Alton barely has to give the witch a hand as she climbs out of the pit daintily.
Nearby Risl is clambering at her own pit, hanging from the edge by her fingertips. Ooro hoots mournfully nearby unable to help. The bard reaches down and easily lifts Risle out of the pit, placing her standing next to him. Once she is safe he sets off to the back of the room. Only 20 feet away yet another trap opens underneath Alton.
Kicking off of falling door he leaps across the pit and lands on the far side. Continuing his search, as though nothing had happened, a third switch is found at the back of the room.
Alton looks at the switch carefully then pulls it, waiting for a response.
After a short moment, the top set of the locks jerks free. During the next twelve seconds it grinds back to it's original position, locking the door. The other two sets did not move at all.
Helios carefully follows the safe path up to the door and examines it for some time. When the door begins to move, he steps back and pulls out his sword, "Everyone behind me! The door is alive!"
Heroically, Helios swings his great blade down at the evil door-monster.
The slash scores a direct hit leaving a long gauge in the metal of the iron door. At this rate it might take ten minutes of very loud work to ruin it. That is if Helios' sword doesn't give out first.
Talis stares at Helios in disbelief as he attacks the door. She shakes his shoulder, taking care not to scratch him in her annoyance. "Stay your blade, Helios! 'Tis but a machined portal, not a hell-spawned night-haunt! Save your steel for skeletons, orcs, and other baddies!"
She walks away from Helios, shaking her head, and walks to Anton's location, careful not to trip any traps. "I wager yon door can be unlocked by three of us throwing the switches, perhaps in unison. Our fourth could try to tip-a-toe past the threshold, if it opens, and see what there is to see. What say you?"
Helios lowers his sword at Talis' request, but continues to eye the door-monster warily as the others go about their business in the room.
"I think you are right Talis, lets throw the switches all at once." Alton grabs the lever near him. "Ready".
Talis nods. "Aye, and I'll be pulling one, as well." She meanders back southward--mindful of her steps--and stops at the south-most lever, near Helios' 'demon-door'. "I'm as ready as can be, lads and lady. Risl, would you be so kind as to pull the lever nearest you? And Squire Amrek--ware what may be beyond the door. Worse things than what we've yet seen may await our intrusion."
She takes a deep breath, nodding. "On thrice-count, then. One. Two." She pauses, shrugs, and yells the last: "Three!"
When all three switches are pulled at the same time the doors locks come undone. Helios pushes it open with the tip of his sword and can see that the hallway continues forward briefly. It then comes to an intersection, one branch snakes to the left, and another goes sharply to the right. After only twelve seconds the door slams shut and the locks reset themselves. The group will have to move quickly through the maze to make it to the intersection.
"Alright, I am ready to try that again" Alton stands ready next to his lever preparing to sprint through the door.
"As am I." Talis also readies herself to pull the lever and hurry to the door. "On three?"
After flipping the switch and leaping the pit Alton sweeps up the scurrying Risl. Ooro flies straight through the door and lands on Helios. Talis has barely enough time, after avoiding pits, to make it through the door. Right after she slides in the door slams shut. Two paths lay before the group.
"Phew, I hope this whole Crypt isn't as strange as that last room..." sighs Helios as he peeks his head around the corner to his left.
Alton looks down the hallway and around the corner.
Helios leads the group down the path to his left. The mournful wailing grows louder with each step toward the door at the end of this musty hallway. There are a host of bones strewn on the floor here, many of which are cracked and broken. A second path branches from the hallway leading to another door.
Meanwhile Alton has looks down the right way. It twists and bends before ending at a door. From here he can't make out any way to open the door.
"I suppose this door looks as good as any!" Helios calls out to the party behind him. Looking around confusedly, he exclaims, "Hey, where'd Alton go?"
"Alton is exploring the other corridor-split," Talis says from behind the paladin. She utters an arcane syllable and points toward the south-most door. She scans the area, searching for magical emanations.
Setting his jaw, Helios mumbles to himself, "We should stick together..." Leaning against the wall waiting for Alton to rejoin the rest of the group, Helios eyes the scattered bones on the floor warily, ready to strike out at them at the first sign of reanimation.
'This place is really strange,' he thinks to himself, 'Back on the farm we never had to worry about this kind of thing. What is dead should stay dead...'
When Talis concentrates on the southern section of the hall she detects two faint auras of conjuration. The two auras are several feet behind the door and stationary. The door to the west has no auras behind it. After she scans the area another wail comes from the door directly before them. This room is certainly the source of the eerie sound.
Talis, in a low voice, explains her findings to Helios and Risl. "There are two conjure-'cants beyond this south door; I think beyond it is the source of yon wailing. It may be summoned creatures--or perhaps some other eldritch effects in place--that waits just past it. I'd need to see behind this door to ken more of these 'cants."
She calls to the Alton over her shoulder. "What spy you, Kevmir? We've magics here, just past southern door. Would you have us explore your end, or join us in ours?"
Alton walks around the corner to join the rest of the group. "Another door that way, but I think this path gets us closer to that wailing and what answers it may have."
Staring down the door in front of him, Helios moves forward, his sword at the ready. "Well, we can't wait all day. Let's see what's going on behind here." he says as he reaches out and opens the wailing door.
Despite Helios' strong grip the handle of the door refuses to budge. It's locked tight, no matter how much he rattles it. From behind the door the wailing has stopped.
Talis bites her lip while examining the locked door, trying very hard not to be alarmed at the wailing's sudden silence. "Perhaps more brutal methods are in order. Would you smash the door in, Helios? Should we try the other door, instead?"
Helios shrugs his broad shoulders, turning to face his companions, "Either way works for me. What do the rest of you guys think?
"I certainly would not be able to pick the lock, though it sounds like whatever was happening behind there has stopped... might be a bad sign."
"Hmmm, well how about this door?" Not waiting for a response, Helios moves to open Door #2.
Helios is able to easily open the second door. The small chamber beyond is mostly empty, save for the body of a villager sprawled in the corner. Perched atop the corpse is a man-sized brown and yellow beetle, trying to push the corpse into the deeper into the corner where a pile of trash and filth is collected. The beetle clambers off the corpse, having been interrupted by the door. It turns and considers Helios, clacking a pair of huge mandibles.
Helios
Risl
Talis
giant beetle
Helios
Alton
Talis
Risl
Round 1, giant beetle
The beetle makes a strange hissing and rattling noise. It's mandibles widen as it continues, with antennae flailing about.
"A beetle? I'll squash this little fellow no problem!" yells Helios as he rushes forward and strikes at the hissing insect with all of his might.
"A beetle? I'll squash this little fellow no problem!" yells Helios as he rushes forward and strikes at the hissing insect with all of his might.
Before his blow can connect the beetle snaps at the paladin with it's mandibles. It seems to have prepared it's attack.
The beetle bites quickly, it's strong jaw tearing through the plates of Helios' scale mail. Having nearly been eviscerated, Helios' returns the favor with a powerful strike. A huge gash cleaves open across the beetles back, ichor flying everywhere. Incredibly the vermin still stands, though severely wounded.
Crypt of the Everflame, giant beetle (map)
Following Helios in Alton swings at the insect.
Sorry bout the delay in posting.
Following Helios in Alton swings at the insect. His falcata removes the head of the beetle, and shortly afterward the hulk of its shattered shell collapses.
Alton looks at the wound Helios received from the beetle. "Probably best to have that taken care of." Alton rhythmically speaks out the words to a spell and places his hand on Helios's shoulder, letting his magic heal the wounds before turning to search the room.
There is nothing in the room, except for a small pile of trash. The corpse is rather fragrant, and partially eaten, with nothing but clothing. The door leading out of the room to the south smells of smoke.
"Thanks for that Alton! That beetle packed quite a bite! Well, we going through this door now?" says Helios as he moves to open the southern door.
"Let's go" Alton slides his shield on to his arm and moves next to the door.