[Lakelands] Six For Adventure

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Horsom moved slowly towards the Esk corpses and their defiled treasures, holding his torch aloft. The confidence he had before entering the tomb was shaken somewhat, recalling the... unholiness of the group's previous encounter here, and he didn't approach either the bodies or their possessions any closer than ten feet. "Looks like the villagers have looted these poor fellows," he grunted at the priests. "Father, let's proceed to the main tomb down below."

 

[Raven Crowking]

Father Evers nodded. He produced a wax candle from his belt pouch -- from which the clink of coins could distinctly be heard. "Wait," he said. "Let us soften this wax first, to stopper our ears. From your descriptions, the spirits below may seek to enthrall us with their babbling speech."

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

"'Sounds' good, Father," Horsom chuckled, taking the wax gobbets from the priest and pressing them into his ears. "I'll take the lead," he said as he headed for the passage to the lower part of the tomb.

 

[Raven Crowking]

The everburning torch produced no heat, and therefore was insufficient to soften the wax, and they had to pause a moment to light a true flame. Then, the wax pressed into their ears muting sound into eerie silence, the group went down the winding tunnel that lead into the deep barrow. Water dripped from the ceiling -- worked through the soil and the cracks between stones from the heavy rains, no doubt -- and made the flames dance.

The passage gave way to the oval chamber where spirits of the dead clustered, bound from the afterlife by whatever foul means the Sly Hisser had used. From their translucent faces, the group could see that the spirits still gibbered insanely, still swore vengeance, still begged for freedom...but they could hear nothing.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Horsom shuddered at the silent gibbering of the tortured souls, who pleaded and grabbed desperately and ineffectively at the axeman and the priests. He indicated to the others that he was going to proceed to the hidden doorway after a careful inspection of the chamber.

OOC: The parts of the thread describing this chamber were lost with the ENWorld db failure, so hopefully I'm not misremembering anything.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Horsom recalled that there were two stones that gave way to hidden chambers; one to the right and one to the left. Kregor had detected magic eminating from behind the lefthand stone, so he turned his attention thereunto.

As he stepped into the room, the ghosts moved eagerly toward him......

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Doing his best to ignore the spirits swirling around him, Horsom approached the portal from behind which Kregor had earlier detected a supernatural aura. Before touching the capstone, he examined it to see if it was decorated with any inscriptions or pictographs that he might recognise. After a minute or so, he reined in his natural curiosity and allowed the priests to perform whatever consecrations they deemed necessary before proceeding.

OOC: Horsom has a Search and Listen of +1, and a Spot of +4. He speaks and read Parthelonian, and has a +3 to Knowledge (Parthelonians), just in case that comes into play.

OOC: If the priests find nothing amiss, Horsom will proceed with removing/moving the capstone.

 

[Raven Crowking]

As Horsom stepped into the room, Father Evars shouted a warning....but the wax in his ears prevented Horsom from hearing more than just the insane babbling of the noncorporeal mass of souls bound to this room. Crossing the threshhold, and moving to the lefthand stone, Horsom did his best to ignore the creatures as they pressed close, until he felt the cold touch of their nonexistent hands upon his flesh......

(Horsom loses 2 points of Wisdom).

(Sorry about delays).

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Horsom whirled at the spirit's touch with a soft cry, eyes like saucers. He saw Father Evars and Kregor gesturing wildly, beckoning him back. He bolted for the entrance, seeking to get behind the protection of the priests. (Assuming Horsom is able to get past the priests: ) Once there, he instinctively, and probably uselessly, drew his axe.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Horsom wheeled just in time to see long tendrils of the ghostly mass reaching toward him again. He could see the faces, babbling what seemed like silence to him, half-tortured, half-hungry, and half-hopeful. The priests drew back with Horsom. Father Evers pointed down the corridor, and to his ears, miming speech.