"There is the dead pirate. But I think you are correct -- we can always return here. Still, if we encounter creatures like the thing who did this -- or any other of the same nature -- please listen to any advice I give. They do have weaknesses, and the Church knows of some of them." Khalia says.
Warriors Of The Coast
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With a look at Ari, Skarg says I thought you were the so called monster hunter. Seems you're being shown up. he winks a beady black eye then says As far as the dead pirate goes, I'm guessing we're not the only ones who went poking around this place. Seems we're smarter than that one was.
So, let's move on then? I mean unless one of you has some sort of need to spend an extra moment or two with the corpse. Just let the rest of us know, though, because that's something I'd personally rather not see. Skarg chuckles at his joke and goes back to keeping watch down the tunnel.
So, let's move on then? I mean unless one of you has some sort of need to spend an extra moment or two with the corpse. Just let the rest of us know, though, because that's something I'd personally rather not see. Skarg chuckles at his joke and goes back to keeping watch down the tunnel.
Khalia squeezes through the chamber opening and returns to the tunnel with the others. The hunched-over march through the tunnels continue, and the group begins exploring the other paths that have been found. Pretty soon, it becomes obvious that these paths slope up and down looping back and forth on each other, as paths you had taken previously meet up with ones that you are currently on. The maze is small, compact, and does not seem to have a way out.
Taviss notes which way is north he believes, and after another ten or fifteen minutes of exploring, the group arrives at another small opening which enters into a eight-foot chamber just like the first. This one also has runes written and painted onto the floor, and again another dead pirate dropped unceremoniously within. This one faces towards you, and the holes in the body are quite evident.
[sblock=Khalia: ]The runes on the floor here are again written in the daelkyric alphabet. This word when pronounced in Common is "Praesotyrric", which means "north".[/sblock]
With the discovery of this small chamber you all note that there seems to be no tunnel or doorway out of this maze (exlcuding the portal you entered from), and more importantly that Captain Erqua is nowhere to be found (despite the group finding blade mark evidence on pretty much all of these tunnels you've been traveling through).
Taviss notes which way is north he believes, and after another ten or fifteen minutes of exploring, the group arrives at another small opening which enters into a eight-foot chamber just like the first. This one also has runes written and painted onto the floor, and again another dead pirate dropped unceremoniously within. This one faces towards you, and the holes in the body are quite evident.
[sblock=Khalia: ]The runes on the floor here are again written in the daelkyric alphabet. This word when pronounced in Common is "Praesotyrric", which means "north".[/sblock]
With the discovery of this small chamber you all note that there seems to be no tunnel or doorway out of this maze (exlcuding the portal you entered from), and more importantly that Captain Erqua is nowhere to be found (despite the group finding blade mark evidence on pretty much all of these tunnels you've been traveling through).
stonegod
Spawn of Khyber/LEB Judge
Ari rubs his temples. "Gods I hate mazes. Does it bother anyone else that both bodies were found on the same side of the room as the direction? Could be coincidence, however. Do you think its a verbal puzzle, or is it telling us to search an area that is both 'North' of one and 'South' of the other?"
Skarg settles his black eyes on the monster hunter and says If I haven't been in absolute agreement with you before, I certainly am now, Ari. I hate mazes.
Skarg looks around as he thinks Wonderful. A maze. If I don't help figure this out, I'm certain to look more of the Half Orc dimwit than I have before. With a look up at the ceiling he thinks If I prayed, I'd be throwing curses up towards whomever I prayed to.
With a sigh he says Well, unfortunately for me, the only participation in this conversation that I can offer is that the runes have to be at least part of our answer. Nothing else but tunnels here outside of them. You want to take another look at them, Khalia? Maybe we'll get inspired. Skarg shrugs.
By the way, I wonder if it was important that both bodies looked like they were dumped in their final resting place, rather than killed there. Scratching his cheek he adds I hope this... whatever this is... doesn't require a sacrifice to operate. Otherwise, we need to go back to town and gather up a couple of Luttins. he grins with obvious mischief playing across his facial features.
Skarg looks around as he thinks Wonderful. A maze. If I don't help figure this out, I'm certain to look more of the Half Orc dimwit than I have before. With a look up at the ceiling he thinks If I prayed, I'd be throwing curses up towards whomever I prayed to.
With a sigh he says Well, unfortunately for me, the only participation in this conversation that I can offer is that the runes have to be at least part of our answer. Nothing else but tunnels here outside of them. You want to take another look at them, Khalia? Maybe we'll get inspired. Skarg shrugs.
By the way, I wonder if it was important that both bodies looked like they were dumped in their final resting place, rather than killed there. Scratching his cheek he adds I hope this... whatever this is... doesn't require a sacrifice to operate. Otherwise, we need to go back to town and gather up a couple of Luttins. he grins with obvious mischief playing across his facial features.
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Brogarn said:
Khalia sighs. "Perhaps."
Brogarn said:
"While I can think of many things that could dump a body there and leave no trail, I am hard-pressed to think of any that could do so and would have any need for our 'pirates'." She said.
She gestures, and speaks a few words of Draconic, and a touch of the white and silver sparks you've all come to associate with the Archivist's spellcasting.
[sblock]
"Flame, show me what has broken the viel."
[/sblock]
OOC: Khalia casts Detect Magic, spellcraft +9.
After casting the spell, she returns to the nearest of the rune-scribed rooms, enters, looks around for the three rounds it takes to identify the auras, and then hurries to the other to do the same thing there.
Khalia's eyes glow as she verbalizes the incantation to detect the presence of magic. She enters the southern chamber first and focuses on the rune that says "Praesotyrric" (or "north"). After a few seconds of intense study she discovers that the rune has two different types of power... first, there is a faint continuous aura of conjuration and summoning. Second, there is a faint continuous aura of transmutation.
When she hurries around to the northern chamber that has the rune "Kaethatyrric" (or "south"), she finds that this rune has the same exact auras as the other one... conjuration/summoning, as well as transmutation.
When she returns to the group and the group begins discussing what has been found... the facts of the situation are this...
- Captain Erqua is apparently a member or associated with a Cult of the Dragon Below.
- Captain Erqua entered the "second portal" along with two pirates.
- Captain Erqua has not been found, but there is indication that blade wielders have been through these low tunnels.
- Two dead pirates have been found however.
- Both Khalia and Skarghash can attest that the runes found in the two small chambers are magical traps (but also something else...)
- Both of these pirates were killed presumably by a dolgaunt (or two) who have not left any trail signifying their arrival or departure.
- The runes in the chambers where the bodies were discovered are magical, and detect as a faint conjuration/summoning aura.
- To verbalize the rune in the room it is written and found in is to set off the trap.
- The northern chamber's rune is translated as "south" and the southern chamber's rune is translated as "north".
- The secondary aura of the two runes is a faint transmutation magic.
- Jango and Khalia both know that faint transmutation magic can make living things stronger, faster, smarter, fly, change shape, gaseous etc... and can make non-living objects change size, unlock, move on their own, and become magical.
When she hurries around to the northern chamber that has the rune "Kaethatyrric" (or "south"), she finds that this rune has the same exact auras as the other one... conjuration/summoning, as well as transmutation.
When she returns to the group and the group begins discussing what has been found... the facts of the situation are this...
- Captain Erqua is apparently a member or associated with a Cult of the Dragon Below.
- Captain Erqua entered the "second portal" along with two pirates.
- Captain Erqua has not been found, but there is indication that blade wielders have been through these low tunnels.
- Two dead pirates have been found however.
- Both Khalia and Skarghash can attest that the runes found in the two small chambers are magical traps (but also something else...)
- Both of these pirates were killed presumably by a dolgaunt (or two) who have not left any trail signifying their arrival or departure.
- The runes in the chambers where the bodies were discovered are magical, and detect as a faint conjuration/summoning aura.
- To verbalize the rune in the room it is written and found in is to set off the trap.
- The northern chamber's rune is translated as "south" and the southern chamber's rune is translated as "north".
- The secondary aura of the two runes is a faint transmutation magic.
- Jango and Khalia both know that faint transmutation magic can make living things stronger, faster, smarter, fly, change shape, gaseous etc... and can make non-living objects change size, unlock, move on their own, and become magical.
Velmont
First Post
Jango starts to draw on teh ground the map of the tunnels... "That look like a maze... wait a second..." Jango continue to draw the map on the dust up to entrence. "If the entrence is there, that means the north is roughly there... So why the 'North' rune is in the south room... and the opposite? Here a guess. We have two runes that can do two things. The first is to summon a creature, most likely a dolgaunt, if Khalia is right about what killed these two pirates. The second is to alter a person or an object... most likely it will allow us to follow Captain Erqua. What I am wondering, it is what would happen if we pronouce the rune's word, but in the other room, which mean north in the north room or south in the south room..." Jango continue to think... "Or maybe we need to trigger both trap at the same times. That would most likely kill both person who pronounce it, but ti would allow a third person to follow Erqua. If it's that, I am not sure I won't to try that..."
"The thought had crossed my mind as well." Khalia said. "But I dislike gambling. And triggering magic set off by Daelkyr keyphrases is not something I wish to put faith in. However, I am running out of ideas."
OOC: What does Khalia know about Dolgaunts -- dungeoneering +10 -- (in terms of how tough they are, and how to fight them)? She's about ready to set things up to stomp a dolgaunt, and then try Jango's idea, if she thinks that the party would have a good chance of taking one down.
OOC: What does Khalia know about Dolgaunts -- dungeoneering +10 -- (in terms of how tough they are, and how to fight them)? She's about ready to set things up to stomp a dolgaunt, and then try Jango's idea, if she thinks that the party would have a good chance of taking one down.
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