"I've just been waiting for you all to finish checking out the statue. If we're ready to move on, Mr. Filios can check this door for traps and a lock."
Morthos, after clearing the statue off and pondering the runes underneath, the name Lissala comes to mind. A long forgotten Thasilonian goddess of runes, fate, and service, her statue once gave out much stronger rewards than mere cantrips, and equally severe punishments.
Filios, upon Darren's request, checks the doors for traps.
I would be glad to, Darren, give me some light, and let's see what we have, shall we?
Perception (Traps):
Filios checks the door to see if it is locked.
The door is neither trapped nor locked.
Filios opens the door a crack and peers inside, listening carefully for any sounds from within.
He whispers to Darren. Can I have a little light in the direction of the room?
Perception:
Darren sheaths his sword and brings the sunrod over to the cracked door.
You see a 45 foot long hallway that ends in a T, has a single door 20 feet down on the left and an opening to another hallway after only 5 feet on your right.
"So? How's it lookin?
Filios leans back into the room, and quietly adresses the party.
We have a fifty foot hallway ending in a "T". There is an immediate opening five feet down to the right, and there is a door about halfway down on the left. I suggest that Darren and I proceed first with the same order so that I can look for traps and peer down the immediate opening.
Perception (Traps):
You see no traps, but do notice once again that there is no dust anywhere in here; either the preservation magic is still quite strong or there is an army of unseen servants here continually keeping the place spotless.
Darren follows Filios dutifully.
Filios peers around the corner down the hallway opening five feet on the right.
Perception:
You see another hallway stretch beyond the edge of your light with doors on either side of the hallway 20 feet down.
Solomon 'creeps' along in the appropriate marching order, shield and hammer at the ready, glancing over his shoulder every once in awhile to put his darkvision to use in checking to see if anyone or anything is following them.
"Alright Darren, Filios, can you two get us to the first door? I'll watch down the hall as you two check out the door. Sounds like Solomon is checking behind us. And Morthos, I could use another set of eyes looking forward." Petvar holds his bow ready and watches further down the hall as Darren and Filios check the first door.
Perception:
Filios nods at Petvar. Sure thing. He slowly traverses the 20 feet of hallway to the door on the left, motioning for Darren to follow with the light source, all the while checking the walls and floor for traps.
Perception (Traps):
Filios slowly approaches the door, and motions for Darren to stop.
Perception (Traps):
Between the darkvision and the light moving down the offshoot hallway, you can see that it is 90 feet long and has 3 sets of doors sitting across the hall from each other along its length, making for a total of six doors down the hallway. Filios sees no traps on the floor, walls, or door as he moves along cautiously.
Filios motions back to the rest of the party.
All clear to this door.
Filios waits for the remainder of the party to arrive at the door before peering inside.
The door is unlocked and seems like it would open easily, it hinges still functioning perfectly. Apparently the maintenance or protection of things in here extends beyond dusting.
Darren, if you would be so kind, a little light, please?
Filios cracks the door and peers inside.
Perception:
This room is a 25' long by 10' wide room that parallels the hallway with a short 5' long by 5' wide entry hall along the long side closest to the hallway.
Brightly painted carvings along the walls of this room vividly depict mighty dragons in flight over shining cities, while below, winged angels kneel and serve human masters. Peacock-feather motifs dominate throughout the chamber, and a faint, pleasant perfume drifts though the air. Several humans lie supine atop biers draped in rich cloth—if they are dead, the bodies are perfectly preserved and have the appearance of relaxed sleepers, showing no signs of corruption or decay.
You see a 45 foot long hallway that ends in a T, has a single door 20 feet down on the left and an opening to another hallway after only 5 feet on your right.
You see another hallway stretch beyond the edge of your light with doors on either side of the hallway 20 feet down.
Between the darkvision and the light moving down the offshoot hallway, you can see that it is 90 feet long and has 3 sets of doors sitting across the hall from each other along its length, making for a total of six doors down the hallway. Filios sees no traps on the floor, walls, or door as he moves along cautiously.
Filios gently closes the door, and he adresses the party.
Behind the door is a long narrow room matching the hallway with intricate wall paintings of dragons flying over cities of white winged angels kneeling to human masters. Of note is the fact that there are several human bodies on top of biers draped with cloth. They appear sleeping...no signs of death or decay. Any notions on how we want to proceed?
You see a 45 foot long hallway that ends in a T, has a single door 20 feet down on the left and an opening to another hallway after only 5 feet on your right.
You see another hallway stretch beyond the edge of your light with doors on either side of the hallway 20 feet down.
Between the darkvision and the light moving down the offshoot hallway, you can see that it is 90 feet long and has 3 sets of doors sitting across the hall from each other along its length, making for a total of six doors down the hallway. Filios sees no traps on the floor, walls, or door as he moves along cautiously.
Filios will save
Darren will save
Morthos will save
Solomon will save
Petvar will save
"If they are alive, they may need our help. Or one could be the guy we are looking for, and we should take care of that right away. If they are dead, we can leave them. If they are undead, we can destroy them. Just my opinion.
"I agree with Petvar."
Given the known ties to the Thassilonian empire you have seen so far, you are able to figure out quickly that the carvings may be related to the sin of pride, one of the seven rewards of rule that the ancient empire was built upon.
The lack of decay on the bodies could be tied to the general lack of decay and dust you have seen thus far, or it could be something else, you are not certain as to the exact source, but it is definitely not tied to any clerical burial methods you are aware of.
"Would it be possible to put an entire structure under a gentle repose spell?" Petvar wonders out loud. Petvar looks at Filios and Darren, "Well, if there wasn't anything else in there, lets take a more detailed look. It wouldn't hurt to learn as much as we can about this place before moving on to the next room."
I agree with Petvar..shall we head in, eh Darren? Care to lead the way? I am right behind you, friend!
Filios holds both swords drawn ready to proceed.
"Yes, sir. I'd like to see what you're talking about."
Darren strides in with the sunrod held high to illuminate the bodies and the mural.
As they enter the room, Filios realizes after actually touching the items in the room that the room was one giant illusion, and that in fact, it was just a plain, empty square room. Everyone else seems oblivious to the true nature of the room's contents as they explore it.
Filios enters the room and laughs deeply.
Well, by Calistria's short hairs! That is grand. I am not certain if any of you are seeing what I am, but everything in this very plain room is an illusion...watch, and understand.
Filios runs throughout the room and waives his swords through the spaces where the biers would have been.
After Filios demonstration, everyone but Petvar is able to see through the illusion. Petvar is simply baffled at how everyone can be walking through solid matter. Those who can see through the illusion do see one item of interest in the room. Carved into the floor under the illusion in one the corners is the name "Xavorax."
Darren
Solomon
Morthos
Petvar
"Filios! What are you doing? Don't disturb the dead. You all are crazy. This can't be happening." Petvar turns his back on the scene and keeps an eye on the hallway.
"You guys take care of the room. Obviously I'm gonna get sick if I try to look into that room any longer. I'll keep an eye on the hallway." Petvar holds his stomach for a moment until the minor bout of nausea caused by the site of his friends traveling through solid stone passes. Then Petvar pulls out his hooded lantern and flint and steel and lights it. Petvar lifts the hood and places the lantern on the floor of the hallway opposite the room's door. Then picking his bow back up, he notches an arrow and guards the door to the room his friends had just entered.
While gazing at the carvings on the wall, Solomon offers, "The carvings may be related to the sin of pride, one o' the seven rewards of rule that the Thassilonian empire was built upon. I'm wonderin if we are goin to see signs from all seven of the rewards in this place, or maybe just from pride."
While gazing at the carvings on the wall, Solomon offers, "The carvings may be related to the sin of pride, one o' the seven rewards of rule that the Thassilonian empire was built upon. I'm wonderin if we are goin to see signs from all seven of the rewards in this place, or maybe just from pride."
Give me a knowledge (history); DC 15 would give you the seven "rewards" and other real basic information, such as which runelord was attributed to which reward. Also, the party missed it initially, but the carvings in the first room with the sealed doors would be the in game source for this basic information. Further details may become discernible later or with a high enough check result, but for now, you do at least have access to basic information on the runelords.
Edit: I will also allow a knowledge (religion) since my limited understanding of the runelords is that they were practically demigods in their own right.
That will give you all the information you will need about the runelords to make sense of this dungeon.
You're still too nauseated to concentrate properly, Petvar.
Darren tries to hand off the sunrod to Solomon while the cleric examines the name on the floor. "Here, sir, I'm going out to the hall with Officer Tarmikos. After receiving a brief, confused look, Darren corrects himself as Solomon starts to open his mouth. "Oh, right, I forgot. You can see in the dark. Sorry, sir." Instead he offers it to Filios. "Here, Mr. Filios, if you need it. I'm going out to the hall with Officer Tarmikos."
"Sorry, Officer Tarmikos. Once Mr. Filios showed us the stones weren't real, it looked so obvious. I wasn't thinking how it would look if they looked like they were still there. They found the word or name, 'Xavorax' carved into the floor in one of the corners. It was concealed by the illusion. Just telling you, in case we see it again."
"Thanks son, just give me a moment to get my bearings again."
"Darren, we could be down here for hours or days. Thats far too long in a place possibly far too dangerous for you to be callin all o' us 'sir' and 'mister'. I aint yer dad, and I aint yer officer, so just Solomon will be fine. Got me?"
Morthos is entranced by the magical room.
"Well, obviously, growing-up in Janderhoff, and studying rune-magic, I had heard of the Rune Lords, but this is the first time I have actually encountered any evidence of their magic. How utterly fascinating. I wonder what the significance of Xavorax is?"
He then gives a faint smile.
"Of course, there is something poetic about a room dedicated to pride being full of empty promises..."
Depending on how busy work is today, I will try to get a rough map made up, with a full full version similar to the previous rooms once you explore all the doors.
Morthos turns to Petvar.
"Well then, shall we see what is behind door number two?"
Map is here; heavy blue lines indicate what you have knowledge of, the X is where you are currently.