IC: Dichotomy's Age of Worms Redux, Part I


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Breth jumps back patting down the smoldering bits of himself. "Well that could have been more fruitful.

"Are you having any more luck up there?"
 

"I'm not sure that it leads anywhere, but there's an interesting carving," Boldak calls down to the others. "It probably wouldn't hurt to have some company up here if I'm to check it out, just in case."
[sblock=OOC]He'll lower his rope to let others climb up more easily if they want to. In any case, he'll search the passage and the carving.[/sblock]
 

"If you're ok with lantern light I could probably come up to help."

As Breth is speaking, Shavora flies up and perches on the end of the tunnel. "Can't see far." she says as she cocks her head at Boldak.
 


[sblock=OOC]Worthley told me to take over for Viktor for a couple days. I'll try to keep any such NPCing minimal.[/sblock]
Alendar calls up to Boldak from the bottom of the chain. "I'll come up too. Viktor," the elf calls back to the central area, "you probably don't want to take off your armor and climb up. See if you can move that arrow. Boldak's idea is a good one." As Boldak prepares the rope, the elf quickly returns to the central chamber, and leaves his own lit lantern for Viktor (and Alexis?) before climbing up.

Between Boldak's rope and the chain, it is a simple feat for Breth and Alendar to get to the tunnel. A thin passage extends into shadows to the northeast. Perhaps seventy feet away, the passage ends in what looks like an enormous stone human face, its mouth open in an angry scream.

Meanwhile, Viktor closes the lid of the sarcophagus and attempts to push it counter-clockwise. After a few attempts, it seems obvious that it won't turn that way. The faithful servant of Heironeous pushes in the other direction, and after about half a minute, the dais rotates one "click" and stops in place with the arrow pointing toward the northwest tunnel with the yellow lantern. Viktor and Alexis hear a low rumbling from underneath them, but from where they stand in the middle of the chamber, the pair cannot see anything.

After Breth and Alendar join Boldak at the top, Boldak begins to examine the tunnel and Alendar closely follows behind. At about the same time, the elf and the dwarf point toward several long scratch marks on the floor, as if something had been dragged. "I have no idea what to make of that," Alendar flatly states.
[sblock=OOC]Climb checks, with the rope, chain, and taking 10, Alendar and Breth automatically succeed.
Viktor STR checks: 3+2=5, fail; 3+2=5, fail; 5+2=7, fail; 14+2=16, success
And, of course some search checks for which I'm not telling results...[/sblock]
 

"I'm not sure that's done anything Viktor." Alexis looks disdainfully at Viktor and turns to the pile of broken bones.

Alexis calls up the shaft, "Anything? The sarcophagus turns, but nothing seems to happen. Perhaps we should pivot it all the way to you?" And she looks at the pile of bones, then up the chain and back to the pile of bones. "On second thought, perhaps you should come down here first."
 

"Something to do with the body below, perhaps?" Boldak muses. Hearing the rumbling, he turns back and comments, "What are they getting into? Well... let me just continue here..."

The dwarfs face contorts in concentration as he examines the joints between wall and floor, and follows the scratches along the passage. As he approaches the end of the hall, he straightens and regards the screaming face with a mock look of fright before having a closer look at the carving.

[sblock=OOC]I think Boldak would like to take 20 searching the face.[/sblock]
 
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Boldak continues down the tunnel with Alendar behind him. The dwarf carefully examines the floor, but, unfortunately, he misses a critical detail until too late. About 60 feet down the tunnel, 10 feet from the face, the dwarf steps on a pressure plate in the floor.

Suddenly, the face seems to come alive. A terrible wind erupts from its wailing mouth. Simultaneously, the face's eyes beginning spinning in patterns of the rainbow, though orange is noticably absent in the pattern. While both elf and dwarf resist the magic, Breth becomes entralled with the pattern.

The wind is quickly gaining intensity, and and the scratch marks suddenly take on a new meaning.

"Gods! We need help!" Alendar shouts to the others. Alexis and Viktor hear his voice, which is immediately followed by howling wind coming from their position. The whispering in the cairn quickly becomes a scream. The elf begins running back down the tunnel, but quickly stops when he reaches Breth's frozen form. The elf stares in horror at Boldak.
[sblock=OOC]Alendar: 12+1=13, success
Boldak: 18+2=20, success
Breth: 1!, fail; held

Init:
Breth: 22
Alendar: 16
Boldak: 10

First round
Breth: tries to save against being held again; 7+2=9, fail
Alendar: moves back to Breth[/sblock]
 

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