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Branding's Age of Worms, the 4th Generation
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<blockquote data-quote="hbarsquared" data-source="post: 2842468" data-attributes="member: 4550"><p><span style="color: royalblue"><strong>Chapter Three, Page 4</strong></span></p><p></p><p>Only the wooden narrow door, the mold-encrusted archway, and a hapless adventurer beneath the fallen pillar remain unexplored within the series of chambers at the end of the passage. Owen finds no secret doors lining the chamber with the stone slab and Kenneth seems to have recovered from his drowsy experience with the cushion of air.</p><p></p><p>The only exit is the elevator tube that they had descended beneath the yellow lantern, on the opposite side of the fallen stone slab. The green mist has long since dispersed since their battle with the aberration.</p><p></p><p><strong>silentspace</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Majakilar stares at Kenneth quizzically, then just shrugs. He starts searching through the "wardrobes and dressers", wondering if anything had been missed by past tomb raiders.</p><p></p><p><strong>Azten</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Azten does his best to determine the age of the stonework in order to answer Majakilar's question. </p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">That finished, he rolls his eyes at Kenneth's enthusiasm towards the air mattress. </p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">What kind of being would want to ruin a perfectly good stone bed with a pad of air, anyway?</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Shaking his head in a slightly disbelieving fashion, Azten moves back towards the door of the bedroom, not sharing in the interest of the others in searching the drawers and other furnishings of the room.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">I am going to go back next door to the pillar room - I would like to see if I can find out more about whoever set the trap off.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">OOC: Search +2 (+4 if involves stonework)</p><p></p><p><strong>Mista Collins</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"I really don't think there is much to see in this area. I am curious on what remains in the other corridors in the lantern room. and if all else fails, those lanterns were worth a bit. We could take those and maybe find out way out of Diamond Lake."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Owen notices Azten heading back to the stone trap and decides to follow him. "I might be able to help you with that."</p><p></p><p><strong>Thanee</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">“Maybe we should dig out this poor fellow here and bury him outside later. For now I would like to check out the rest down here, behind the wooden door and that archway, and then I also think we should try one of the other corridors.”</p><p></p><p><strong>Azten</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Azten has simultaneous flashes of personal shame for his lack of thought, and admiration for the considerate thought voiced by Alexi. After all, he is a cleric, and consideration of spiritual matters should come naturally to him.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">I am a bit embarrassed to say that I had not considered giving the victim a proper burial. I was mainly looking to learn more about them. </p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Then again, without knowing more about him or her, it would be almost impossible to know what would be considered proper for that person.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">In any case, if everyone else is ready to forge ahead, I am ready as well.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">We can always return or have someone else return to see to the victim's spiritual needs.</p><p></p><p><strong>silentspace</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Majakilar pauses searching for a moment. "If time's an issue, then let's move on. But if it's not an issue, why not search everything?"</p><p></p><p><strong>Voadam</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"I agree with Alexi, once everybody is through here we should go on to that door."</p><p></p><p>Majakilar finds nothing in the assorted pieces of stone furniture: the entire room has been picked clean by previous adventurers and tomb robbers.</p><p></p><p>Examining the stonework of the central pillar, Azten and Owen notice the mechanism of chains that disappear into the dark shaft above, still solidly attached to the fallen column. The column, however, is immovable, and rests about an inch embedded into the stone floor. There is nothing to dig around to get to the hapless adventurer beneath it. The stonework itself is tremendously old, at least several thousand years, the likes of which Azten has never seen before.</p><p></p><p><strong>Thanee</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">“Well, at least we tried.”</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Alexi then heads over to where they had seen the wooden door, but stops when she stands in front of it.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">“Uhm, Owen? You know more about these things... maybe you should take a look before we go through? It won't hurt to be a little more careful down here.”</p><p></p><p><strong>silentspace</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">An examination of the wall bordering the niche with the fallen pillar would have revealed nothing, except for Azten's keen senses regarding the stone manufacture of the intricate trap. His hand brushes against an awkward portion of stone, revealing a hidden catch. It has not been moved in several years, but Azten can tell it is in an "unlocked" position, and moves easily within its barely discernable alcove.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">OOC - Azten's Search check +4: rolled 16, success.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Majakilar, studying the crushed tomb raider with the others, is starngely drawn to the trigger latch. He pushes it to the "locked" position.</p><p></p><p><strong>Mista Collins</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Turning from his study of the central pillar walks over to Alexi. "Well I will see what I can do."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Kneeling beside the door Owen pulls out little tools wrapped in a soft leather case. Holding one of the tools Owen examines the door closely.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">OOC - Search, Open Lock, and Disable Device +7</p><p></p><p><strong>Voadam</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Gregor goes over to the door, ready to force it open if need be.</p><p></p><p><strong>Azten</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Azten stands aside while Majakilar sets the latch to the locked position, listening intently for any sound of moving stone or other activity.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Assuming nothing happens, he then joins the rest of the group as they investigate the wooden door.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">OOC: Listen +3</p><p></p><p>As the two rogues kneel before the wooden door, Gregor arrives from behind. The door is untrapped and indeed unlocked, and instead of using the delicate tools Owen has retrieved, he turns the knob and pushes the door inward. Within the small five-by-five foot room is a stone seat with a hole in its center, an austure toilet that has not been used in centuries.</p><p></p><p>A deep rumbling of stone grinding against stone interrupts their inspection. The three turn to find Azten and Majakilar backpedaling from the central pillar and the fallen column being hoisted back into the ceiling by rusted chains. After a few moments it grinds to a halt after meshing with the ceiling at a jarring angle. Azten can tell the trap that had doomed the previous tomb robber is now forever useless, as the trigger was destroyed when the column fell.</p><p></p><p>Revealed on the floor is a crushed human skeleton wearing shiny silver chainmail, along with several crushed items and the remains of the leather bag. Within the niche hang several still intact items on short pegs: two slender rods and what seems to be a pair of goggles.</p><p></p><p><strong>silentspace</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Whoa!" says Majakilar, slapping Azten on the back. "It's just like mining, except a lot easier!" He starts studying the items.</p><p></p><p><strong>Voadam</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Gregor eyes the moving trap with trepidation then scowls at the bar relief figure "I don't like these bald people. If this is just a bedroom, who would set a two-ton death trap right next to where they sleep?"</p><p></p><p><strong>Raging Epistaxis</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Indeed!</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Faced with shiny chain mail, Azten finds his former protestations of disinterest in looting to have been premature, if not patently false. He is torn for a moment between investigating the odd rods and goggles on the wall, and looking closer at the chain mail.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">During that moment his dwarven nature comes to the fore and without thinking he kneels next to the crushed human to get a closer look at the chain mail. </p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">All the better to assess it's quality and make. </p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">...</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">For the humans. He tells himself.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">As an afterthought, he remembers to look for any symbols which might indicate a religious affiliation for the remains...</p><p></p><p>No holy symbol or armaments identify the crushed skeleton, although the chainmail, besides a number of dents and scratches, looks suprisingly wearable and has resisted the erosion of time. Any other belongings the tomb robber once had have been thoroughly crushed into dust and shards.</p><p></p><p>Kenneth peeks over Azten's shoulder.</p><p></p><p>"Wow, would you look at that!" he exclaims.</p><p></p><p><strong>silentspace</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Majakilar nods at Gregors' comment. "Unless it was a temple, though why you'd trap a temple like that is strange too, it's not the altar that was trapped anyway, but a niche. These rods and goggles might've been some sort of sacred relics, maybe..." Majakilar twiddles with them for a moment before handing them to Alexi. "Here, you might be better at figuring out what these do than me"</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Examining the chainmail, he says, "Maybe Gregor or I should try that on for now. From what we've encountered so far we may need it! I could surely use it, I don't have a shield." Majakilar looks inquiringly at Gregor.</p><p></p><p><strong>Thanee</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">“Looks like you will get your burial after all, poor fellow. Good work there with that pillow!”</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Voadam</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"You take it Majak. I don't think it would fit me anyway and I've got this great shield." Gregor grins and thumps the table top he turned into a shield.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>silentspace</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Alright Gregor, I will. Hey Gregor, could you carry my scale mail for me? You can carry a lot, and we can sell it when we get back to town."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Majakilar strips out of his scale mail and gives it to Gregor, then tries on the chain mail.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Azten</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Let me know if you have any difficulty fitting the mail - I may be able to help.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Then turning his attention back to the other items, he remarks</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">So. Any ideas what these things are?</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Thanee</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">“Broken?”</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Voadam</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Sure." Gregor stuffs the scale mail into his backpack then hefts the now heavy pack.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Mista Collins</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"All that suspense, and all we find is every man's favorite throne." Once the rumbling stops Owen walks over to investigate with the rest of the party.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Seeing the googles and the rods, Owen extends his hands. "I'll gladly take a look at some of the items. I might be able to find something out. Can I see them?"</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">If handed to Owen he will look them over carefully, trying to appraise the craftsman ship of each item. Once he determines the value of each item he will put on the google. "How do I look?", Owen asks with a chuckle and a smile.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">If any skills apply, I can make an attempt with Jack of All Trades. I have a +3 INT mod and a +2 CHA mod.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>silentspace</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Revealed on the floor is a crushed human skeleton wearing shiny silber chaimail, along with several crushed items and the remains of the leather bag.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Pillow? Throne?" Majakilar's not as sharp as the others, and not really sure what they're talking about. In any event, Majakilar will go through the crushed items, looking to learn something about the crushed human here.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Majakilar takes upon himself the gruesome task of removing the chainmail from the remains of the desiccated crushed bones. After removing his own armor he slips the chain over his head to rest on his shoulders. Strangely, it seems to fit perfectly, and after stretching out his arms and twisting his back he and Azten realize that no alterations are needed.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Kenneth raises an eyebrow. "Here, let me take a look," he says, then mutters an incantation and passes a hand over his eyes. Kenneth stares up at Majakilar's chainmail intently for several moments, then shifts his glance to the rods still hangining in the niche and the goggles in Owen's hands.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"They're magical," he says with excitement, reaching out for one of the slender rods, turning it over in his hands. Runes in the same odd language of the long-ago inhabitants circle each of the short sticks. "I wonder what they do? We'll have to ask Allustan, the next time we see him."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">OOC - Kenneth cast detect magic, but has no ranks in Spellcraft so could not identify any auras.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">The lenses of the goggles are made of crystal, and fit over Owen's eyes easily. Through the lenses, his vision is unobscured, but as he turns his head he realizes that anything near him quickly comes into sharp focus, as if everything was outlined with a thin black line.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">OOC - The goggles are goggles of minute seeing, granting a +5 competence bonus to Search checks to find secret doors, traps, and similar concealed objects, within 1 foot or less.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>silentspace</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Wow, magic!" Majakilar touches his chainmail in astonishment. It looks like it's going to take a while for him to get used to the idea of wearing magic armor.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">OOC - Apologies, I forgot: the chainmail is +1 chainmail, so that you can update your character sheet, silentspace.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Voadam</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Smiling Gregor says "That would explain why it survived being crushed by the stone! This is wonderful for us." then he frowns "Remember though, even with such magic a stone block or cave in can get you so stay alert." The concern for his friends evident on the young man's face.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Azten</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Aye, marvelous though it may be, no armor is total proof against harm.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Since all the loot seems to have been accounted for, Azten suggests the group check out the remaining archway.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>silentspace</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Aye, I'll still be careful..." Majakilar says, though he's not had any real knowledge in how to be. "In the mines we had 'natural' traps, cave-ins and sinkholes. They were bad enough. Mostly us miners found them the hard way. Gregor and I've lost good friends and companions to those traps. A couple times me and Gregor carried barely living survivers to Azten for healing. But these traps are potentially even deadlier than those we faced in the mines."</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Mista Collins</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Woah! These things are pretty neat. Everything seems to be in sharp focus!" Owen seems to be delighted that the group has found other objects that might help us get out Diamond Lake faster. "Sounds like the life of a miner was tough and more demanding than I thought, Majakilar. I commend you and Gregor for being able to handle it."</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Azten</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Heading toward the archway, Azten comments back over his shoulder to the others.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Yes, if one of those traps gets you I would not be able to help. Although I have seen such miracles granted by Moradin, I fear that is far beyond my meager abilities.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Thanee</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">“Then we should be careful, so far it has worked out well enough. Let's see what other wonders this place holds for us!”</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Alexi is obviously delighted by all the discoveries and the whole adventuring in this place. She quickly moves up to Azten who is already on his way to the next part of this underground dwelling. Good dwarf. That's the spirit!</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Mista Collins</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Hey! Don't leave me behind!" Owens says as he notices the rest of the group moving. His attention was obviously on the new googles over his eyes, which look quite silly with he green wide-brimmed hat he is wearing on his head. "This is place gets better and better! Let's see what is down the other corridors!!"</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Voadam</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Gregor nods and heads through the arch, smiling at the group's successes so far.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">In response to Gregor's concern, Azten eyes the stonework of their chamber and concludes that, despite its obvious ancient construction, it remains sound, perhaps safer than any home constucted in Diamond Lake.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">The adventurers approach the last archway facing the central pillar on the side opposite the spartan bedroom, and stop five feet from the edge of the brown mold completely filling the area. The temperature has noticeably dropped nearer the mold and their breath forms small clouds of vapor. Kenneth begins to feel his bare feet begin to go numb, but ignores the cold as he strains his neck to see into the final chamber. A bright light comes from behind the archway.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Careful," cautions Kenneth, rubbing his hands together to generate a modicum of heat. "This type of mold is tricky. I heard about it from an old friend of mine that found some in another one of the caves around town. Turns out the stuff sucks in heat like nothing: fire only causes it to grow stonger."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Kenneth motions to Mahakilar to lower the torch and keep it away from the brown growth. "It's cold that actually harms it."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">OOC - Kenneth's bardic knowledge check, +4: rolled 16, success.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">The gnome sighs, remembering that he has neither alchemist's frost or learned any cold magic. "Anyone have any ideas?"</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>silentspace</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Really? We can't kill it by slicing at it, or burning it? I'm sorry I don't have any ideas."</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">ooc: would holding up a shield-like object protect us from cold and allow us to pass?</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">OOC - With regards to the shield idea, unfortunately, no. The party can either come back another day (with alchemist frost or with a different prepared spell selection), or try running through the mold anyway and taking the nonlethal cold damage.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Thanee</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">“It's harmed by cold only? How comes it lives down in the cold then? Well, I'm afraid, I don't have anything remotely as cold as you are suggesting here...”</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Alexi frowns. “Let's check out some of the other corridors then. I don't think we'll get past here, if this... stuff... is dangerous to touch, I wouldn't want to try to jump over it, just to find myself right in the center of this freezing mess.”</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">OOC: Next level... Ray of Frost!</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Voadam</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">"Yeah, we would want furs or blankets to wrap up in before going into such a place right now, let's check out the safer areas first before going into the cold gunk room."</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Azten</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">I fear I know of no prayers that might serve to protect us from this unnatural cold. Or any that be of use in beating this mold back.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">I need to remember to check with the clergy when I return to see if they would know of any such useful prayers.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">A pained expression briefly passes over Azten's face, as though he had sampled spoiled brew.</p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">And, as much as I hate to leave a portion of this wonderous place unexplored, I agree we should proceed back to the sarcophagus chamber and choose a new course of action.</p></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px"><strong>Mista Collins</strong><p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <p style="margin-left: 20px">Patting Azten on the shoulder, Owen looks at him with a smile. "Oh don't you worry dear friend, I don't plan on letting any part of this place go unexplored. I have no problem with coming back another day. Who knows what wealth this place holds!"</p> </p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="hbarsquared, post: 2842468, member: 4550"] [color=royalblue][b]Chapter Three, Page 4[/b][/color] Only the wooden narrow door, the mold-encrusted archway, and a hapless adventurer beneath the fallen pillar remain unexplored within the series of chambers at the end of the passage. Owen finds no secret doors lining the chamber with the stone slab and Kenneth seems to have recovered from his drowsy experience with the cushion of air. The only exit is the elevator tube that they had descended beneath the yellow lantern, on the opposite side of the fallen stone slab. The green mist has long since dispersed since their battle with the aberration. [b]silentspace[/b][indent] Majakilar stares at Kenneth quizzically, then just shrugs. He starts searching through the "wardrobes and dressers", wondering if anything had been missed by past tomb raiders.[/indent] [b]Azten[/b][indent] Azten does his best to determine the age of the stonework in order to answer Majakilar's question. That finished, he rolls his eyes at Kenneth's enthusiasm towards the air mattress. What kind of being would want to ruin a perfectly good stone bed with a pad of air, anyway? Shaking his head in a slightly disbelieving fashion, Azten moves back towards the door of the bedroom, not sharing in the interest of the others in searching the drawers and other furnishings of the room. I am going to go back next door to the pillar room - I would like to see if I can find out more about whoever set the trap off. OOC: Search +2 (+4 if involves stonework)[/indent] [b]Mista Collins[/b][indent] "I really don't think there is much to see in this area. I am curious on what remains in the other corridors in the lantern room. and if all else fails, those lanterns were worth a bit. We could take those and maybe find out way out of Diamond Lake." Owen notices Azten heading back to the stone trap and decides to follow him. "I might be able to help you with that."[/indent] [b]Thanee[/b][indent] “Maybe we should dig out this poor fellow here and bury him outside later. For now I would like to check out the rest down here, behind the wooden door and that archway, and then I also think we should try one of the other corridors.”[/indent] [b]Azten[/b][indent] Azten has simultaneous flashes of personal shame for his lack of thought, and admiration for the considerate thought voiced by Alexi. After all, he is a cleric, and consideration of spiritual matters should come naturally to him. I am a bit embarrassed to say that I had not considered giving the victim a proper burial. I was mainly looking to learn more about them. Then again, without knowing more about him or her, it would be almost impossible to know what would be considered proper for that person. In any case, if everyone else is ready to forge ahead, I am ready as well. We can always return or have someone else return to see to the victim's spiritual needs.[/indent] [b]silentspace[/b][indent] Majakilar pauses searching for a moment. "If time's an issue, then let's move on. But if it's not an issue, why not search everything?"[/indent] [b]Voadam[/b][indent] "I agree with Alexi, once everybody is through here we should go on to that door."[/indent] Majakilar finds nothing in the assorted pieces of stone furniture: the entire room has been picked clean by previous adventurers and tomb robbers. Examining the stonework of the central pillar, Azten and Owen notice the mechanism of chains that disappear into the dark shaft above, still solidly attached to the fallen column. The column, however, is immovable, and rests about an inch embedded into the stone floor. There is nothing to dig around to get to the hapless adventurer beneath it. The stonework itself is tremendously old, at least several thousand years, the likes of which Azten has never seen before. [b]Thanee[/b][indent] “Well, at least we tried.” Alexi then heads over to where they had seen the wooden door, but stops when she stands in front of it. “Uhm, Owen? You know more about these things... maybe you should take a look before we go through? It won't hurt to be a little more careful down here.”[/indent] [b]silentspace[/b][indent] An examination of the wall bordering the niche with the fallen pillar would have revealed nothing, except for Azten's keen senses regarding the stone manufacture of the intricate trap. His hand brushes against an awkward portion of stone, revealing a hidden catch. It has not been moved in several years, but Azten can tell it is in an "unlocked" position, and moves easily within its barely discernable alcove. OOC - Azten's Search check +4: rolled 16, success. Majakilar, studying the crushed tomb raider with the others, is starngely drawn to the trigger latch. He pushes it to the "locked" position.[/indent] [b]Mista Collins[/b][indent] Turning from his study of the central pillar walks over to Alexi. "Well I will see what I can do." Kneeling beside the door Owen pulls out little tools wrapped in a soft leather case. Holding one of the tools Owen examines the door closely. OOC - Search, Open Lock, and Disable Device +7[/indent] [b]Voadam[/b][indent] Gregor goes over to the door, ready to force it open if need be.[/indent] [b]Azten[/b][indent] Azten stands aside while Majakilar sets the latch to the locked position, listening intently for any sound of moving stone or other activity. Assuming nothing happens, he then joins the rest of the group as they investigate the wooden door. OOC: Listen +3[/indent] As the two rogues kneel before the wooden door, Gregor arrives from behind. The door is untrapped and indeed unlocked, and instead of using the delicate tools Owen has retrieved, he turns the knob and pushes the door inward. Within the small five-by-five foot room is a stone seat with a hole in its center, an austure toilet that has not been used in centuries. A deep rumbling of stone grinding against stone interrupts their inspection. The three turn to find Azten and Majakilar backpedaling from the central pillar and the fallen column being hoisted back into the ceiling by rusted chains. After a few moments it grinds to a halt after meshing with the ceiling at a jarring angle. Azten can tell the trap that had doomed the previous tomb robber is now forever useless, as the trigger was destroyed when the column fell. Revealed on the floor is a crushed human skeleton wearing shiny silver chainmail, along with several crushed items and the remains of the leather bag. Within the niche hang several still intact items on short pegs: two slender rods and what seems to be a pair of goggles. [b]silentspace[/b][indent] "Whoa!" says Majakilar, slapping Azten on the back. "It's just like mining, except a lot easier!" He starts studying the items.[/indent] [b]Voadam[/b][indent] Gregor eyes the moving trap with trepidation then scowls at the bar relief figure "I don't like these bald people. If this is just a bedroom, who would set a two-ton death trap right next to where they sleep?"[/indent] [b]Raging Epistaxis[/b][indent] Indeed! Faced with shiny chain mail, Azten finds his former protestations of disinterest in looting to have been premature, if not patently false. He is torn for a moment between investigating the odd rods and goggles on the wall, and looking closer at the chain mail. During that moment his dwarven nature comes to the fore and without thinking he kneels next to the crushed human to get a closer look at the chain mail. All the better to assess it's quality and make. ... For the humans. He tells himself. As an afterthought, he remembers to look for any symbols which might indicate a religious affiliation for the remains...[/indent] No holy symbol or armaments identify the crushed skeleton, although the chainmail, besides a number of dents and scratches, looks suprisingly wearable and has resisted the erosion of time. Any other belongings the tomb robber once had have been thoroughly crushed into dust and shards. Kenneth peeks over Azten's shoulder. "Wow, would you look at that!" he exclaims. [b]silentspace[/b][indent] Majakilar nods at Gregors' comment. "Unless it was a temple, though why you'd trap a temple like that is strange too, it's not the altar that was trapped anyway, but a niche. These rods and goggles might've been some sort of sacred relics, maybe..." Majakilar twiddles with them for a moment before handing them to Alexi. "Here, you might be better at figuring out what these do than me" Examining the chainmail, he says, "Maybe Gregor or I should try that on for now. From what we've encountered so far we may need it! I could surely use it, I don't have a shield." Majakilar looks inquiringly at Gregor.[/indent] [b]Thanee[/b][indent] “Looks like you will get your burial after all, poor fellow. Good work there with that pillow!” [b]Voadam[/b][indent] "You take it Majak. I don't think it would fit me anyway and I've got this great shield." Gregor grins and thumps the table top he turned into a shield.[/indent] [b]silentspace[/b][indent] "Alright Gregor, I will. Hey Gregor, could you carry my scale mail for me? You can carry a lot, and we can sell it when we get back to town." Majakilar strips out of his scale mail and gives it to Gregor, then tries on the chain mail.[/indent] [b]Azten[/b][indent] Let me know if you have any difficulty fitting the mail - I may be able to help. Then turning his attention back to the other items, he remarks So. Any ideas what these things are?[/indent] [b]Thanee[/b][indent] “Broken?”[/indent] [b]Voadam[/b][indent] "Sure." Gregor stuffs the scale mail into his backpack then hefts the now heavy pack.[/indent] [b]Mista Collins[/b][indent] "All that suspense, and all we find is every man's favorite throne." Once the rumbling stops Owen walks over to investigate with the rest of the party. Seeing the googles and the rods, Owen extends his hands. "I'll gladly take a look at some of the items. I might be able to find something out. Can I see them?" If handed to Owen he will look them over carefully, trying to appraise the craftsman ship of each item. Once he determines the value of each item he will put on the google. "How do I look?", Owen asks with a chuckle and a smile. If any skills apply, I can make an attempt with Jack of All Trades. I have a +3 INT mod and a +2 CHA mod.[/indent] [b]silentspace[/b][indent] Revealed on the floor is a crushed human skeleton wearing shiny silber chaimail, along with several crushed items and the remains of the leather bag. "Pillow? Throne?" Majakilar's not as sharp as the others, and not really sure what they're talking about. In any event, Majakilar will go through the crushed items, looking to learn something about the crushed human here.[/indent] Majakilar takes upon himself the gruesome task of removing the chainmail from the remains of the desiccated crushed bones. After removing his own armor he slips the chain over his head to rest on his shoulders. Strangely, it seems to fit perfectly, and after stretching out his arms and twisting his back he and Azten realize that no alterations are needed. Kenneth raises an eyebrow. "Here, let me take a look," he says, then mutters an incantation and passes a hand over his eyes. Kenneth stares up at Majakilar's chainmail intently for several moments, then shifts his glance to the rods still hangining in the niche and the goggles in Owen's hands. "They're magical," he says with excitement, reaching out for one of the slender rods, turning it over in his hands. Runes in the same odd language of the long-ago inhabitants circle each of the short sticks. "I wonder what they do? We'll have to ask Allustan, the next time we see him." OOC - Kenneth cast detect magic, but has no ranks in Spellcraft so could not identify any auras. The lenses of the goggles are made of crystal, and fit over Owen's eyes easily. Through the lenses, his vision is unobscured, but as he turns his head he realizes that anything near him quickly comes into sharp focus, as if everything was outlined with a thin black line. OOC - The goggles are goggles of minute seeing, granting a +5 competence bonus to Search checks to find secret doors, traps, and similar concealed objects, within 1 foot or less. [b]silentspace[/b][indent] "Wow, magic!" Majakilar touches his chainmail in astonishment. It looks like it's going to take a while for him to get used to the idea of wearing magic armor.[/indent] OOC - Apologies, I forgot: the chainmail is +1 chainmail, so that you can update your character sheet, silentspace. [b]Voadam[/b][indent] Smiling Gregor says "That would explain why it survived being crushed by the stone! This is wonderful for us." then he frowns "Remember though, even with such magic a stone block or cave in can get you so stay alert." The concern for his friends evident on the young man's face.[/indent] [b]Azten[/b][indent] Aye, marvelous though it may be, no armor is total proof against harm. Since all the loot seems to have been accounted for, Azten suggests the group check out the remaining archway.[/indent] [b]silentspace[/b][indent] "Aye, I'll still be careful..." Majakilar says, though he's not had any real knowledge in how to be. "In the mines we had 'natural' traps, cave-ins and sinkholes. They were bad enough. Mostly us miners found them the hard way. Gregor and I've lost good friends and companions to those traps. A couple times me and Gregor carried barely living survivers to Azten for healing. But these traps are potentially even deadlier than those we faced in the mines."[/indent] [b]Mista Collins[/b][indent] "Woah! These things are pretty neat. Everything seems to be in sharp focus!" Owen seems to be delighted that the group has found other objects that might help us get out Diamond Lake faster. "Sounds like the life of a miner was tough and more demanding than I thought, Majakilar. I commend you and Gregor for being able to handle it."[/indent] [b]Azten[/b][indent] Heading toward the archway, Azten comments back over his shoulder to the others. Yes, if one of those traps gets you I would not be able to help. Although I have seen such miracles granted by Moradin, I fear that is far beyond my meager abilities.[/indent] [b]Thanee[/b][indent] “Then we should be careful, so far it has worked out well enough. Let's see what other wonders this place holds for us!” Alexi is obviously delighted by all the discoveries and the whole adventuring in this place. She quickly moves up to Azten who is already on his way to the next part of this underground dwelling. Good dwarf. That's the spirit![/indent] [b]Mista Collins[/b][indent] "Hey! Don't leave me behind!" Owens says as he notices the rest of the group moving. His attention was obviously on the new googles over his eyes, which look quite silly with he green wide-brimmed hat he is wearing on his head. "This is place gets better and better! Let's see what is down the other corridors!!"[/indent] [b]Voadam[/b][indent] Gregor nods and heads through the arch, smiling at the group's successes so far.[/indent] In response to Gregor's concern, Azten eyes the stonework of their chamber and concludes that, despite its obvious ancient construction, it remains sound, perhaps safer than any home constucted in Diamond Lake. The adventurers approach the last archway facing the central pillar on the side opposite the spartan bedroom, and stop five feet from the edge of the brown mold completely filling the area. The temperature has noticeably dropped nearer the mold and their breath forms small clouds of vapor. Kenneth begins to feel his bare feet begin to go numb, but ignores the cold as he strains his neck to see into the final chamber. A bright light comes from behind the archway. "Careful," cautions Kenneth, rubbing his hands together to generate a modicum of heat. "This type of mold is tricky. I heard about it from an old friend of mine that found some in another one of the caves around town. Turns out the stuff sucks in heat like nothing: fire only causes it to grow stonger." Kenneth motions to Mahakilar to lower the torch and keep it away from the brown growth. "It's cold that actually harms it." OOC - Kenneth's bardic knowledge check, +4: rolled 16, success. The gnome sighs, remembering that he has neither alchemist's frost or learned any cold magic. "Anyone have any ideas?" [b]silentspace[/b][indent] "Really? We can't kill it by slicing at it, or burning it? I'm sorry I don't have any ideas." ooc: would holding up a shield-like object protect us from cold and allow us to pass?[/indent] OOC - With regards to the shield idea, unfortunately, no. The party can either come back another day (with alchemist frost or with a different prepared spell selection), or try running through the mold anyway and taking the nonlethal cold damage. [b]Thanee[/b][indent] “It's harmed by cold only? How comes it lives down in the cold then? Well, I'm afraid, I don't have anything remotely as cold as you are suggesting here...” Alexi frowns. “Let's check out some of the other corridors then. I don't think we'll get past here, if this... stuff... is dangerous to touch, I wouldn't want to try to jump over it, just to find myself right in the center of this freezing mess.” OOC: Next level... Ray of Frost![/indent] [b]Voadam[/b][indent] "Yeah, we would want furs or blankets to wrap up in before going into such a place right now, let's check out the safer areas first before going into the cold gunk room."[/indent] [b]Azten[/b][indent] I fear I know of no prayers that might serve to protect us from this unnatural cold. Or any that be of use in beating this mold back. I need to remember to check with the clergy when I return to see if they would know of any such useful prayers. A pained expression briefly passes over Azten's face, as though he had sampled spoiled brew. And, as much as I hate to leave a portion of this wonderous place unexplored, I agree we should proceed back to the sarcophagus chamber and choose a new course of action.[/indent] [b]Mista Collins[/b][indent] Patting Azten on the shoulder, Owen looks at him with a smile. "Oh don't you worry dear friend, I don't plan on letting any part of this place go unexplored. I have no problem with coming back another day. Who knows what wealth this place holds!"[/indent][/indent] [/QUOTE]
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