At the Grand Portal of the Dead

[Tom Cashel]

Velm: "Daziel, I suggest you recite whichever of Selune's prayers will bring you the most calm and tranquility. Frankly, your outbursts became tiresome long ago.

"As for you, Cousin, calm down before you prove her point. No one's splitting up anything. Your idea is a quick way to get us all killed.

"We only have one objective: to lift the Curse."

Daziel: "When you were...shall we say...indisposed at Stone Tooth, Bronn, the ghostly form of a Selunite priestess charged Van and myself with the lifting of the curse. If you cannot stand to be around me, then go off on your own."

 

[Bronn Spellforger]

So we all have the same objective? Then why are we sitting around here arguing like a bunch of Zhents?

I still say we should split up, but if we're going to stay together, I say we have one ground rule: if anyone would like to accuse anyone else of wrongdoing or deceit, we settle things in the way of Clangeddin. I think that's fitting for where we are right now.

Does everyone agree?

Now everyone stop moaning and let me study these maps!

 

[Van Dyksun]

"No way are we splitting up, Bronn. I'd hate to meet
any of the things we have seen so far here with half of us gone. Yes, we constantly make mistakes--Bronn getting axed by the Great Ulfe, Daziel mistaking the range of her spell when trying to subdue the bugbear, Temuel falling before that wicked hand of that zombie, Corwyn's encounter with the green slime, my mistaking Lady Winter for someone who actually cared for her people, Velm's encounter with his uncle--but the reason we are still here and able to argue is that after every one of these mistakes, we came back and were able to work together to defeat whatever was before us.

"So the speculum is a place? Interesting. Given that where we are now is likely Clangeddon's hall, or at least near it, what is behind those big doors back in the room where we defeated the Scarlet Flame?"

 

[Bronn Spellforger]

Van -- I'm not sure we're in Clangeddon's hall (believe me, if we were, my cousin wouldn't let us hear the end of it). But as to what lies beyond that door ... I'm not sure. The Scarlet Flame couldn't get through. I think perhaps the drum might be the key. Any thoughts?

Also, I noticed in your tirade that Sieta here has yet to make a mistake ... which just makes her that much more spooky.

OOC: Stacie's in Atlanta today, that's why she hasn't responded. And also, since she never, ever reads the boards like she's supposed to, I feel confident in saying that Stacie smell's like Onyx outside on a wet, rainy day.. without fear of reprisal.

 

[Van Dyksun]

"Hmm. Come to think of it, Saeita hasn't made a mistake...yet. Maybe we should stand clear of her for now.

"That's a joke, Spooky.

"I have never ever tried to play a musical instrument. I have to admit that I made fun of the bards that visited Waymoot. A bunch of long-haired freeloaders who thought that a smooth voice and a baby-face would get them any girl in the village. Even if it was true, it was pretty insufferable.

"Has anyone even learned to play a musical instrument here? I mean, a drum, how hard is it. You hit it, it sounds, right?"

 

[Tom Cashel]

Velm: "Not that it detracts from her spookiness, but Saeita nearly got herself killed failing to jump the chasm at Stone Tooth. Only a rope, with Corwyn and I holding it, kept her from plunging. So we've all made at least one mistake...splitting up would be the biggest yet.

"Cousin, if this were Clangeddin's Hall, you would be so in awe of its glory that you wouldn't need me to preach to you. No, the Halls on that map are definitely not where we are now.

"Grand Portal of the Dead, eh? A subterranean graveyard, maybe? Judging from what we've seen in here so far, you might want to give those doors a once-over, Snowcap. You too, Daziel--put that ring to work."

Corwyn: heads for the Grand Portal
"What's the big deal? I'll open it."

Velm & Daziel: "NO!!!"

Velm: "Just hold on, Corwyn. We'll get to it.

"As for your musical comments, Snowcap: it is indeed a simple matter to play a drum the way humans do. But this, my lad, is a dwarven skul...and a true bard can make it sing.

"By the way, Cousin...did we check to see whether the drum is magical?"

 

[Bronn Spellforger]

Velm -- I did a detection spell on all the items we found. However it was rather late and I was kind of tired so I don't quite remember what was magical. I believe the drum did indeed radiate magic. But I can certainly recheck right now ...

Dwarven skul or no, I can't play that thing. And Bardic magic doesn't impress me much. Now, our Cousin Gwythiir could play that thing (and do a damn good job of it). She was with the dwarves tunneling in from the southeast gatehouse.

But of course, the catch is, she needs to play the drum (perhaps) to lift the curse, but she can't come in here to lift the curse because she belongs to a clan.

Someone should think of a name for situations like this!

 

[Tom Cashel]

Velm: "Trapped between the Coil and the deep dark caves..."

[Bronn: Hathos' skul radiates powerful abjuration, enchantment, divination, and transmutation magics.]

Daziel: "Van, let's check out that Grand Portal. You dwarves might use that stonecunning of yours as well. Corwyn, guard the entrance...Saeita, can you serach the rest of the room again?"

Carefully inspecting the door, Daziel and Velm aren't able to tell much about it at all. Van, however, is certain that it is trapped, and Bronn's stonecunning tells him that it isn't a door at all--it is carved to look like one, but there is nothing but rock beyond it.

Velm speaks a prayer to Clangeddin while gripping his holy symbol, then looks around the chamber of the Grand Portal.

"I'm sensing magic just beneath the floor over here, Cousin...and more over here within the wall...conjuration and transmutation magics in both cases."

 

[Bronn Spellforger]

Cousin, I must say, I never thought I'd ever hear you use the words "conjuration" or "transmutation."

Hmmm. Interesting, though.. you say the magic is beneath the floor and in the wall. Those two schools of magic could indicate that the stones in this area were sculpted or created by magic.

I think that door is a ruse ... I think the real entrance lies in one of these places.

Van or Daziel -- can you detect any traps here? If need be, I can disintergrate about 6 inches of this floor to help us get through ...

 

[Van Dyksun]

OOC: "Over here" where, Matt?

"Is this the area where that mysterious captive disappeared? Let me search for any kind of secret doors that might be about.

"I'm not very good at disabling magic traps--I never ran into many of those in Waymoot. But I could give it a try? Let me try running a simple knife blade over these rocks."