Todd's FR adventure: On the Merchant Road. Part I

The party enters the 'portal room'. Though there are obvious signs of conflict here, broken blades, spent arrows, scorched patches, blood spatters. There are no bodies, however. The thing of note is, again, the far wall. A large circular pattern is carved into the wall, Arcane runes and symbols, half inlayed with silver. On the floor in front of the wall is a small forge and tools used for metalworking...smallish...used for jewelry making.


Actions?

Killian's voice sounds too-loud in the deathly still, almost sounds like a tomb: "So we're advancin' than, boys?
Good - I like going forward....

I say we look in this here room *points to the west room* and see if the weird portal-thingy we saw earlier looks any different.
Mayhap we kin find a clue about what killed tha others."

Killian examines the room like an investigator perusing a crime scene.

He sees if he recognizes any of the broken blades or arrows as being from the doomed members of the party.

"Is thare any oother damned way into or outta this rooom?!"

He'll look again at the circular pattern, squinting like it hurts his head to think that way, "Kin anyone make heads'r'tails a' this bloody thing?"

After convincing himself he can't learn anything more about the portal, no matter how much he'd want to, he'll move down and look closely at something more his speed: the small smith and tools.
Is it used for armor, weapons, or trinkets, he wonders? His experience in Metalworking both chain for armor as well as adornments might come in handy here...

"I'll see what I can find out," Saxon says, and begins an inspection of the room.

Saxon lets Mzarem wander about the room if any definite scents remain.

Az wanders around the room careful not to touch anything. He is looking at the portal and the instrumernts. he will cast detect magic to see what he needs to see. "Fascinating." is all the golden elf says.

Kiralin looks around briefly and then goes to study the mark on the wall more carefully. [She has no formal training, but perhaps a general int roll will help?]

[OOC; current hp's 7]

Kreeg having already checked out the portal room waits at the door keeping an eye out for trouble.

As kreeg guards the door, Saxon gets a rundown of the room. Much is trampled-on and cleared away. You do see lots of blood trails, Human and Orcish. You see a small feint trail of dripping blood leading out of the room. Back where you came from.

Killian examines the forge tools. They are finely crafted and very elegant, marked with intricate designs and patterns. Not very orc-like at all...perhaps Elvish? He also sees residue on some of the bowls and tools and identifies the metal as silver. Were they melting the silver from the wall?

He must have said that aloud because Az corrects him. The silver inlayed in the portal is new and is in mid-completion. They are filling it in. Once it is complete and the correct rituals recited, this portal will be operational. His detect magic indicates it is not operating...and nothing in the room is enchanted.

There are no other apparent exits from the room.

Actions?

"There's a trail of blood leading out, I suggest we find out where it goes," Saxon says, indicating the blood to the others.

Killian talks to Az "Ahhh, ye be good at magic then, eh, boy?
Yer da' taught you, eh?

My da' didn't know nothin' 'bout no magic - magic was fer people tryin' ta mess wit tha natural way o' things.

I've learned from me travels that a wee bit o' magic kin help...
...or kill.

You think if we scratch out these writin's, it'll be harder for whoever to use this 'portal'?"

Killian will take the useable and small parts of the forge and tools (the whole forge is probably too large to pack away). He'll take them both to use them for Crafting, and to prevent 'them' from using it.