BrOp's Age of Worms Adventure Path: The Whispering Cairn (IC)

[Branding Opportunity]

After Sniffer brings the sunrod over to the archway and Sniffer clears some more of the webs away, the space beyond becomes much more visible to those standing next to it. The wide stairway descends into an immense, domed chamber. The edges of the chamber are shrouded in shadow, but at the other limit of your light you can see a long dais in the middle of the chamber, which holds what appears to be a large chest or sarcophagus of some kind. It's hard to tell the details in the poor light.

 

[Someone]

ooc: Can we see the source of the green light?

"I wonder why the wolves didn´t enter here" says Rial. "Maybe they did feel something here we can´t. Someone should check."

ooc: otherwise, I think we´re descending in the usual marching order.

 

[Bront]

Zan takes a little time to try to place the Fresco in time and perhaps if he can the event. Zan shifts slightly to immitate the voice of one of the elderly artists in the town, Mrs Painter. "Well Meldain, you have to learn to appreaciate the art for what it is. See the sweeping brush strokes, and the painstaking detail put into painting it so high. You know, if you don't learn to appreciate art, you're life's going to be very dull." Zan shifts back to his natural form and voice, still examining the fresco as if nothing happened.

 

[Ranger Rick]

ooc: Can we see the source of the green light?

"I wonder why the wolves didn´t enter here" says Rial. "Maybe they did feel something here we can´t. Someone should check."

ooc: otherwise, I think we´re descending in the usual marching order.

Sniffer says, "I doubt the wolves had a reason to enter. They can not eat gold."

 

[lotuseater]

Mulch - Cleric

By the time Mulch and Rial crawl back out from the wolves' den, the others have spread out and are investigating other portions of the room. The dwarf spots the two warforged poking holes into the network of spiderwebs covering the doorway, and he decides to join them. When Rial calls over and asks about the lantern, Mulch has become so absorbed with trying to discern what's beyond, the request goes unheeded.

"Let's find out what's on the other side," he says to the warforged, and he begins using his sword to make another hole big enough for him to pass through.

 

[Branding Opportunity]

Zan takes a little time to try to place the Fresco in time and perhaps if he can the event.

You study the painting, but can't place it in any particular time period. In fact, you have never quite seen anything like it. Judging from how the paint was applied, it seems to have been created with a small brush.

 

[Branding Opportunity]

ooc: Can we see the source of the green light?

OOC: Yes, the green light seems to be coming from the far side of the room, suspended in the air.

 

[Branding Opportunity]

You clear the rest webs and proceed down the 20' long flight of stairs into the large chamber beyond. Once you are on the edge of the room, you can see that seven short tunnels branch from the room in all directions, extending some thirty feet before ending in rounded walls. At the terminus of each passage, a thick chain dangles from an unseen high ceiling. Five of the chains bear colorful lanterns, but two hold nothing at all. Opposite the entry stairs, a bright green lantern containing what looks like a torch casts a weird, murky light about the room. Countless chips of glass and shiny mental inset into the chamber's domed ceiling relfect this light, giving the impression of starlight and falling snow. The dome starts about ten feet off the ground and reaches an apex about thirty feet over the center of the room.

Below the dome's peak, in the center of the room, a long dais holds what appears to be a marble sarcophagus. A milky white bas-relief figure, perhaps of a human, rests passively upon the sarcophagus lid. Ulinke the rest of the tomb, this room is completely silent.

 

[lotuseater]

"Don't you think it's strange that this room is still lit after all this time. We should proceed cautiously."

Mulch then goes straight to the sarcophagus, leans his sword against it within easy reach, and examines the relief on top, hoping to discover if it is of the same marble as the finger he found in the wolves' den. If anyone else joins him, he will suggest that they try prying open the lid to see what might be inside.

 

[Branding Opportunity]

Mulch moves over to the sarcophagus and begins examining it. The lid bears a white stone relief of a tall figure cloaked in a simple garment of flowing cloth. It's difficult to say why, exactly, but the outfit conjures thoughts of ancient times. The figure itself is about 7 feet tall, is completely hairless, and is of indeterminate sex. Its arms and hands rest at its side. The left hand curls upon itself in a fist, but the right is placed palm up, with the thumb turned in and all but the index finger held parallel to the arm. The index finger has been broken off.
The figure wears a scarab-like amulet around its neck, inscribed with a symbol similar to the one you found on the broken artifact in the hallway.
The sarcophagus rests upon a small raised platform carved in the shape of a stylistic arrow, with the tip aligned with the head of the relief figure upon the lid and a short "shaft" extending from the foot of the sarcophagus. The "arrow's tip" is pointing directly west.