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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Greybar" data-source="post: 814736" data-attributes="member: 4938">"Lit by the loneliest light", part two[I should also note that the awakening of the PCs was also the first incarnation of these characters under 3E D&D.  The previous series (which started in Luinlassa and ended with their stoning) was played in a homebrew game system of my creation that is best now left to history. This also means that the players suddenly were exploring new abilities, primarily more defined spell-casting ability.  The characters were all brought over to 3E as fifth level PCs, though sub-optimal multiclassing often resulted from trying to keep their abilities roughly similar to the last series. -John]"We should give her a proper funeral", Daphna says as she looks at the sprawled body."This isn't exactly an ideal place for a cremation" is the unanimous response.Samus manages to retrieve his greataxe from the pool and everyone gathers their wits about them.  Berke is gone and brief musing about how far it might be until the next air pocket is unanswerable.  Arlissa wraps the oilskin pouch until it is water-tight again, and absent-mindedly puts the battered ring on a finger."If we find we're at a place where we can come back for her body, we will."Karrinkas gathers a deep breath and dives in to follow Berke.  All jokes about whether the Karranas like water aside, he is almost undoubtably the best swimmer of the group.  Plus  he wears no armor and only carries a small amount of equipment strapped to his leather harness.The pool leads to an underwater tunnel that thankfully exits into another chamber.  This one is much larger and has multiple pools exiting it from it.  It also contains a still manic Berke, examining all of the walls in the light that now shines like a torch from his hammer.Karrinkas reports back to the group.  They each make their way with varying levels of swimming success.  Daphna practically walks on the bottom of the tunnel, barely even trying to swim.  There is much bemoaning of the soaking that their equipment, particularly their bows, is taking.When everyone has made it through, they join Berke in his examination of the next chamber.  With three unknown pool-tunnels to choose from, there is much concern about getting the wrong one.  Then Balius' sharp eyes notice a tiny graven symbol over one pool - the Chalice of Llassa.  Without further ado the groups swims through the tunnel, emerging into another chamber that for once has a proper dry tunnel leading out from it.  Berke rushes down it, calling out that he can hear a bigger chamber.And indeed it was.  Berke emerged on a shelf overlooking a underground river.  Downstream and across the river there is a niche similar to the one he stands in.  To his stonework-savvy eye, it looks carved in the fashion of natural rock, rather than being truely just a pocket worn away by time and water.  As the rest of the party emerges, he starts making his way down to the water's edge."He's going to get himself killed" is the general consensus of the rest of the group, but they follow.  Driven by sheer willpower more than swimming skill, Berke emerges from the rushing water into the carved niche and starts looking around.  The rest make their way across, trying not to get swept too far down stream and thus missing the landing."Something just touched my leg", says Balius.  The bard's voice has a bit more than a note of concern."Keep swimming" is Karrinkas' resolute answer.Daphna moves in behind Arlissa and makes sure that the priestess makes it up on the ledge.  In doing so, she does a lot of kicking which is quickly followed by a painful bite to her unarmored legs.  Balius soon finds himself prey as well."Snakes!"Those in the narrow niche try to help pull those in the water up, flailing at the snakes and trying not to fall back in the water themselves.  Daphna beats at the snakes with her sword, but is greatly impeded by the water.  Karrinkas leaps from the niche back into the water, tearing at the snake that threatens "the cub" (Balius) with claws and teeth.Berke, focused on the wall, seems to pay little attention behind him.  As the last snake is driven away, he shouts "Ah ha!" and with a probing stonemason's tool pushes a hidden switch.  A crack appear along the wall, outlining a doorway.  With a gentle push, it opens into darkness.The group pushes into a square-cut hallway the leads to a room that is unmistakably a crypt.  A large statue of a lizardman-priest stands in an alcove at the end of the room, his head turned down, and his hands out and palms forward.  Berke has already noted the stairway opposite the alcove, and quickly disappears around the corner.  Balius puzzles over the markings on the square burial-chamber doors set into the walls.  His curiousity is insatiable, he gives the handle a pull."No!" Arlissa and Dapha shout out almost as one, but Balius is already giving it a second pull with his full weight behind it.  The door wrenches open with the force of his pull. "I just want to see..."There is a gust of cold air and a darkness extinguishes Arlissa's magical light.  Balius feels a clawed hand come from the chamber and land upon his own.  Behind Arlissa there is the sound of stone on stone from the alcove and something moves in the darkness...</blockquote>

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