# Branding's Age of Worms, the 4th Generation



## hbarsquared (May 10, 2006)

_Since the beginning of history, humanity has measured time in Ages.  Ages of Glory, of Dreams, and even of Great Sorrows mark the human tally of years, giving sense of order to the events of past centuries.But one age has yet to occur - an age of darkness, of decay, and of writhing doom.

Witty bards and wrathful preachers know it as the Age of Worms, weaving it into the peripheries of thir passion plays as a mythic era of destruction that could begin at any time.  Astrologers, diviners, and the servants of Fate know more.

The canniest among them fear that the Age of Worms has already begun._​
The Info Thread
Out of Character Thread
Rogue's Gallery


[smallcaps]*The Age of Worms*[/smallcaps]
_DM Jeremy

Raging Epistaxis, playing Whurhak Azten
Thanee, playing Alexi
Mista Collins, playing Owen
silentspace, playing Majakilar
Voadam, playing Gregor_​
*The Whispering Cairn*
Chapter One: Krauss' Age of Worms
Chapter Two: Branding Opportunity's Sons of Krauss Age of Worms Adventure Path.
Chapter Three: A Face in Darkness
Chapter Four: The True Tomb

*The Three Faces of Evil*


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## Mista Collins (May 10, 2006)

Owen looks around scared as the world he once was standing in vanishes and slowly reappears. "Umm guys, what was that? Hopefully that won't happen again."


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## silentspace (May 12, 2006)

ooc: I'm ready to go 

"Wierd place, isn't it?  What do you think is under those blocked grills in the floor?  More underwater rooms?"

Hearing the others want to investigate the door, Majakilar nods and approaches it.  He's going to assume it isn't trapped, or that if it was, the traps have probably failed due to being underwater.  He tries bashing the door in.


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## Voadam (May 12, 2006)

"*Since you have your new sword I think we are ready to go*."

Gregor will accompany Majak in bashing in the door. Bracing and steadying himself first the giant young man lashes out to kick open the door, exerting his immense strength.


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## Thanee (May 12, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“Yes, let us continue in our exploration! As if such a little occurance could stop us!”_


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## hbarsquared (May 15, 2006)

Take a look here for discussion regarding this PbP.


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## hbarsquared (May 22, 2006)

*Chapter Three, Page 1*

The crossbow clatters against the stone of the statue, as the eyeball creature wriggles from Gregor's fingers and ducks behind.

OOC - Kenneth attacks Strangler, +3: rolled 8, miss.

"Oh, come on!" Kenneth yells exasperatedly.

As Azten readies his hand for any of his companions that might fall, Owen wrenches himself up from the stone floor and kicks the sleeping giant awake.

"This thing is really starting to get on my nerves!" he says as he takes his place by the dwarf's side and draws his daggers.

Alexi fires her crossbow and smiles as the bolt lodges itself in one great, bulbous eye of the creature. It freezes in place for a moment before its strands of striated muscle curl around an arm of the statue as it attempts to remain aloft. Somehow, as Majakilar thrusts with his guisarme, it still manages to dodge out of the way of the steel hook.

Kenneth, shifting from side to side for an opening, drops in another bolt into his crossbow, lamenting the waste. In frustration, he aims for its still unharmed eye and pulls the trigger.

"All right!" the gnome yells, waving his crossbow in the air, as the bolt penetrates the creature's second eye and it falls down the front of the statue.

*Thanee*
“Woohoo! A masterful shot, Kenneth!”

Alexi moves over to where Gregor is lying and wakes him.

“Come one, wake up. Night's over. We need your strength here.”

Then she looks to her companions once more.

“So, what was this weird creature then? Any idea?”​
*Voadam*
Gregor shakes his head again as the magical sleep is once again broken then smiles sheepishly at Alexi "Wha? Oh, right. Everybody's OK? What do we need and how can I help?" The big youth looks around and spies the metal flange he's been using as a makeshift mace and gathers it up from where it fell from his hand when he was overcome by the floating eye's magic.​
*Mista Collins*
Sheathing the daggers Owen had ready, he looks at the dead creature with an inquisitive eye. 

"I have no idea what that thing is! Any suggestions?"​
*Chapter Three, Page 2*

Kenneth pats down his vest, smoothing out the wrinkles and wiping off the dust, after loading his crossbow in prepartation for any other strange creatures that might be lurking behind ancient statues. He peers at the sinewy creature as it leaks yellowish fluid from both of its eyes onto the stone floor.

"It might be an ocular demon of some sort," suggests Kenneth, "Or maybe some undead monstrosity that ripped itself out from an energy-drained corpse. I've heard all sorts of tales like that. But there's no way of telling what this one actually is, of course."

*Mista Collins*
"Well at least it isn't moving anymore and Gregor isn't taking unnecessary naps." Owen says with a smile. "Now let's finish seeing where this passage leads before we were so heartlessly interrupted."​
*Thanee*
“For all we know, it could have been the sandma,” Alexi remarks with a smirk.

“The passage! Yes, let's find out where it brings us!”​
*Voadam*
Gregor shakes his head again, a little disoriented and takes stock of where the group is.​
*Azten*
Poking the now still creature with his hammer, Azten remarks Of all the strange creatures I have seen, that has to be about the oddest. We should be on the watch for others.

Azten does his best to memorize details of the creature before moving to catch up with the rest of the group.

If there is any indecision, Azten suggests that it doesn't matter which passage the group follows, so long as someone looks down the other way briefly to check it out. He'll do it if no one else seems interested.​
*Voadam*
Gregor waits for someone to say they will keep their eye out for other such creatures but refrains from making the pun himself.​
The group turns their attention to the large, chill chamber with the dull gray stone pillar reaching from floor to ceiling. The dark brown fungal growth emitting the intense cold covers the right archway into another chamber, and the left archway seems clear of any growths.

Kenneth hefts his crossbow in hand, shifting from one bare foot to another.

"Well, come on," says Kenneth, gesturing down the hall. "Although this time I don't think Gregor and Azten should go wandering off without the rest of us."

After a few moments, with quick, nervous glances at the eyeball aberrration curled up on the floor, Azten suggests they take a brief glance down the left hall. As a whole, with weapons readied, they enter the large chamber and Azten glances around the left side of the central pillar.

The central pillar's face bears a deep recession that extends from floor to ceiling, and within the recession a massive stone column seems to rest at an awkward angle, it's bottom edges are cracked and the stones beneath buckle, as if suffering a tremendous impact in ages past. Peeking out from underneath the column lies an old leather sack.

*Voadam*
Gregor pokes the sack to see if there is anything inside it.​
*Azten*
As Gregor pokes the sack, Azten tries his best to throw his voice so it sounds like the sack says 'Ow!'.

OOC: having no skill whatsoever in ventriliquism...​
*Mista Collins*
With two daggers drawn, Owen is keeping an eye out for anymore trouble as his companion pokes the sack.​
*silentspace*
"Looks like another trap was here, maybe another explorer is crushed under it."

Majakilar peers up towards the ceiling, to see if maybe the column had fallen from above.​
Gregor gently prods the leather sack with one giant finger of his gauntled hand. He withdraws quickly as the sack crumbles to dust at his touch. Amidst the decaying fragments are three statuettes in surprisingly excellent condition--a grand palace, a slim spire with eight connected smaller towers of different heights, and what looks like a grand stadium. The rest of the now-ruined leather sack remains beneath the slanted column.

Kenneth ogles over the precious statuettes as Gregor sifts through them, the gnome's childlike hands reaching out spasmodically, trying to contain his excitement. As Owen, Alexi, and Azten stand guard, Majakilar looks up into the dark recesses of the central pillar at the very edges of the torchlight. He can barely make out a circular hole in the ceiling, directly above.

OOC - Any skill checks or other actions? Oh, and by the way, does anyone remember who was carrying the torch? 

*Azten*
Once the possibility of a previously triggered trap is voiced, Azten realizes that despite his moment of happy silliness at having eliminated the eye-thingy, they are still in the middle of a strange tomb, and there may be more dangerous traps and creatures waiting patiently to kill them. Or not so patiently...

OOC: Azten peers around at and investigates the surrounding walls and pillar to see if he can detect an further stone traps. Search +2, +4 if stone is involved.

Torch? Pah. I don' need no stinkin' torch... ​
*Voadam*
"I can't imagine carving anything with details so small. I wonder if the bald people made them. Anyone want to check them out before I put them away? I think you are right Majakilar, we should watch out for big things falling from above, the builders of the cairn seem to have placed several drop traps."​
"Anyone want to check them out before I put them away?" asks Gregor.

"Sure! yells Kenneth. "I thought you'd never ask!

Eagerly, he holds out his hands for the statuettes, examining them one at a time in his undersized hands.

"These buildings are ancient beyond compare," he says in awe. "I recognize them, but only from legends and myths, many thousands of years ago, long before the rise of human civilization. They were built by elemental lords of air who ruled before the birth of the living races, or so the legends go. The legends also say that a giant spider destroyed their empire. So, who knows what to believe?"

OOC - Bardic knowledge check +4: rolled 16. Knowledge (arcana) check +7: rolled 8. Knowledge (history) check +7: rolled 18.

Kenneth reluctantly hands the statuettes back to the giant to place in a pack.

*Azten*
At the mention of finely carved statuettes, Azten once again finds his attention drawn away from self-preservation towards curiosity over Gregor's find. He begins to make his way to Gregor's side to get a view of the carvings.

Fascinating! Can I ... ?

But, mid-question, he realizes that it is probably more important for him to keep looking for further stonework traps than satisfying his curiosity over the statuettes.
Somewhat wistfully, he turns back to what he was doing before.

Azten listens fascinated to Kenneth's recitation of what he can discern of the statuettes history. Wow. I'd love to see them, but later.​
An examination of the wall bordering the niche with the fallen pillar would have revealed nothing, except for Azten's keen senses regarding the stone manufacture of the intricate trap. His hand brushes against an awkward portion of stone, revealing a hidden catch. It has not been moved in several years, but Azten can tell it is in an "unlocked" position, and moves easily within its barely discernable alcove.

OOC - Azten's Search check +4: rolled 16, success.

*Mista Collins*
Once Kenneth is done lecturing about the statuettes and hands them back to Gregor, Owen looks to the giant. "Can I take a look at them real quick?"

Owen examines the craftsmanship of each item and tries to evaluate how much each one might be able to fetch in the market.

OOC - Appraisal +3​
Owen turns the statuettes over in his hands, admiring the intricate detailing of the buildings. In coins alone, each is worth 200 gold. What they might be worth to a collector, he has no idea.

OOC - Owen's Appraisal check +3: rolled 17.

*Azten*
Azten carefully, almost lovingly, traces his hand across the stonework around the fallen pillar of stone. He applies decades of learning the stonecrafts to the search, and finally discovers what he had suspected was there all along.

We need to proceed cautiously - I think I found the trigger latch for the trap, and it was very well hidden. I cannot say when it went off, but it was a long time ago.

I really need to get word back home for the engineers to come study these mechanisms. These ancients, whoever they may be, obviously have an advanced understanding of large scale stonework.​
*Mista Collins*
"Be very careful carry these statuettes Gregor, these might help get us out of Diamond Lake alone. The only problem is finding a collector or someone who can afford them." Owen hands them back over to Gregor.

Turning to Azten and his suggestion of moving forward with caution, Owen suggests a plan of action. "Since you have the ability to detect variances in stone work, and I have an eye for traps, maybe we should take the lead. Searching together we probably have a better chance at making sure the path is safe."​
*silentspace*
Majakilar looks on with interest, happy to have finally figured something out in these dungeons, even if it was sort of obvious. "So... what's a trigger latch? What does that mean?"​
*Thanee*
“What a marvellous work,” Alexi says in admiration upon seeing the statuettes. “Too bad the rest has been smashed. Maybe we should wrap them up in a blanket to keep them secure.”​
*Azten*
Trigger latch? It is the part that kept the trap from being sprung until someone was in position to be crushed. Then, in a softer voice after a moment's quiet contemplation: I wonder what the bait was?​
*Voadam*
Gregor smiles "Good idea Alexi." Gregor then proceeds to wrap them up if anyone volunteers a blanket before putting them away.​
*Thanee*
“I got one with me, you can use that,” Alexi offers.​
As Owen and Azten take a last cursory glance at the stonework of the central pillar and Alexi offers a blanket to Gregor for the items, Kenneth turns to stare at the chamber behind them.

He nudges Majakilar in the side and points into the room. "Would you take a look at that," he says.

The wide chamber must once have been the living quarters of an important figure. A large stone slab that suggests the shape of a bed rests against the far wall, under a huge bas-relief of a robust, long-nosed bald humanoid figure with outstretched hands. The figure wears a lovingly sculpted wind-tossed robe that gives him the appearance of a triumphant god. A glyph that looks like a stylized arrow marks an amulet worn around the figure's neck. Wardrobes and dressers seemingly carved from the stone walls look to have been ransacked a long time ago.

Kenneth cocked his head as he studied the glyph inscribed on the amulet, shaking his head in silence after a few moments.

OOC - Any more actions to take at the central pillar? Do you want to enter the chamber or continue circling the pillar?

*Azten*
Since his examination is taking him a bit further around the pillar anyway, Azten looks to see if the brown growth covers this side of the opening as well before heading back to the rest of the group.​
*Voadam*
Gregor scowls a little at the bas relief, the bald people just rub him the wrong way.​
*silentspace*
As Kenneth nudges him, Majakilar says "You know, for some reason I thought this was a tomb, but maybe not? Anyway, what do you think that stone bed-thing is? An altar? Is this a temple? A temple to that bald one?"​
Azten continues around the central column, noticing the cooling temperature as he does so. The brown growth only extends into the chamber on the opposite side of the rest of the group and does not infest any other sides of the stone pillar.

A dry fountain along the face of the central pillar features a low basin and a wall spigot about eight feet high, looking something like a shower. A narrow wooden door is embedded in the stone wall facing the fountain.

*Azten*
Azten takes one more moment to determine if the brown growth includes or surrounds the wooden door (preventing possible entry later), then heads back to the group to make sure they are all ok.​
Despite the chill, the brown growth seems restricted to the single archway, not hindering any movement to or through the wooden door. The growth has completely enveloped the one side of the central pillar, as well as encases the archway and the stone floor leading to it.

*Voadam*
As Kenneth nudges him, Majakilar says "You know, for some reason I thought this was a tomb, but maybe not? Anyway, what do you think that stone bed-thing is? An altar? Is this a temple? A temple to that bald one?"

"An altar big enough for a sacrifice. Are there cutting marks on it? Or it could just be a hard bed with a picture over it. I don't know." Gregor shrugs.​
*silentspace*
"Right, come to think of it, I'm not sure why I thought this was a tomb- it hasn't been very tomb-like, has it? It's pretty mysterious though... what was this place?"​
*Thanee*
“The area above with the corridors looked pretty tomblike.”​
*Azten*
Azten catches up to the group and looks around the room, joining the thread of conversation. 

Eh? There is nothing odd about a stone bedroom - very like my family's chambers.

Hmm.

Moving closer to the bed and the bas-relief figure, Azten absently waves his hand towards the figure on the wall.

See the amulet? I would bet that is the same arrow symbol that we saw earlier on the sarcophagus. Probably the symbol of the order to which the honored dead belonged. Maybe this is the tomb caretaker's room.

OOC: Err, it is the same symbol, is it not?  
This complex may have been temple as well as tomb... those statues looked like worshippers to me. But what/who? and why?

OOC: <Cue swelling of dramatic music>​
*silentspace*
Majakilar chuckles at Alexi's comment. "You're right, there was that sarcophagus above. That's why I thought this was a tomb!" Majakilar moves forward and examines the altar / sacrificial table.​
Azten and Majakilar approach the stone slab against the wall and notice a thin bed of whirling air resting atop it. Kenneth follows behind, glancing around the empty room, as Owen, Gregor, and Alexi remain behind in the central chamber.

Upon getting closer to the bas-relief, bald figure, Azten notices that the glyph, although similar and obviously from the same alphabet, is different from the one on the sarcophagus they had seen above. As the dwarf examines the stonework of the sculpture, he does not notice the gnome grasp the edge of the stone slab and lift himself over the top.

"Hey, guys! he says, floating above the stone slab, suspended by the circulating air. "This is fun!"

The gnome leans back into the wind, not touching the stone itself, and abruptly yawns. He wriggles in the air currents, trying to get comfortable, and yawns again.

"I didn't realize I was so tired," he says drowsily with eyes half-closed.

OOC - Kenneth's Will save, -2 against DC 20: automatic failure. Kenneth fatigued.

*Azten*
With Kenneth suddenly acting so sleepy, Azten quickly scans the room looking for any more of the floaty eye creatures.

Not seeing any of them, he suppresses a shiver. Then giving Gregor a sideways glance he pulls out his small hammer/holy symbol and prepares to give Kenneth Moradin's blessing... 

Great. Now the short folk are trying to take inappropriate naps too. 
<sigh> 
By The Allfather's holy hammer, wake up! <smack> No sleeping on the job! <poke> <poke>​
*Thanee*
“That fountain looks like a great place to take a bath, too bad there is no water.”

Alexi has appeared behind the others in the meantime.

“You sleep on stone? Just stone? Isn't that... I don't know... like... cold? Small wonder your people grow such long beards... to keep you warm, I reckon.”

With a chuckle Alexi moves around the small group, her eyes immediately fixed on the sleepy gnome.

“Whoa! Do you see this? How are you doing that, Kenneth? You are flying! ... Kenneth!?”​
*Voadam*
Gregor comes over "More sleep magic?" If Atzen is not able to rouse the gnome Gregor will pull the gnome off his stone airbed.​
*silentspace*
Majakilar looks around apprehensively, weapon in hand, wondering if there was another ambush coming with this new round of sleep magic. 

"Gregor's got the right of it, I think. Some sort of sacrifice altar, that puts the victim to sleep first, looks like? The air magic is so the blood drains away neatly? Maybe they kill them here and entomb them elsewhere in these crypts... This place is really strange and alien. Maybe the statues are of ancient gods long forgotten. Azten, can you tell how old the stonework is?"​
"Hey!" cries Kenneth, holding up an arm to ward off Azten's blows with his holy symbol. "Fine, I'll get up."

Kenneth awkwardly lowers himself from his levitating position atop the stone bed as the others show their concern. He stretches his arms, as if from a long rest and eyes Majakilar curiously.

"Sacraficial altar? Blood drain?" he says, glancing back at the stone slab. "I don't think so. The cushion of air was just... surprisingly refreshing. No sleep spell, but if you really needed a rest and you just can't fall asleep, I imagine this is the place to do it."

OOC - Knowledge (arcana) check, +7: rolled 26, success.

Kenneth looks longingly at the stone bed again, and shrugs. "Wish I had one of those at the Emporium."

*Thanee*
“The people who lived here seem to have had quite a luxurous life. But let's not waste time, there is so much more to discover! Where to now? Did you see any doors?”

Alexi looks around for any doors or corridors, which might lead to other areas of this huge underground dwelling.​


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## hbarsquared (May 22, 2006)

*Chapter Three, Page 3*

Alastor Land peeks from behind the central pillar within the lair of the architect, watching the newest party of adventurers investigate the architect's bedroom. He giggles as the small gnome clambers up the side of the stone bed and his companions react in fear. The ghost has remained hidden from them since they first entered the cairn, watching their progress from a distance and always outside their peripheral vision.

One of them, the giant of a man, turns his head to look in Alastor's direction. Alastor covers his mouth and quickly moves his incoporeal form within the central pillar. He waits a moment in anticipation, then pokes his head out to find the group continuing their conversation, the giant no longer looking in his direction. He would have exhaled a held breath if he had lungs to do so. Instead, he floats through a nearby wall to examine his final resting place: the hall where he had finally perished after exploring these ruins, and the place where Alastor cannot help but return after every foray he makes through the cairn.

Alastor has observed their progress since the party entered the decorated stone hallway leading to the outside, beyond the barrier which Alastor himself can never pass. They had spent a few minutes examing the curious walls, as well as the broken artifact in one of alcoves, then managed to fend off the wild wolves. Alastor had laughed at the fatherly concern of the dwarf, the rambunctious youth of the two humans, and the delusional bravado of that poor gnome. He had been more than surprised to see the giant downed by the wolves after only a scant few seconds, and he had been just as impressed when the other large, muscular human managed to kill one wolf single-handedly and avoided most of their other attacks and snapping jaws. They eventually managed to fend off the wolves, but Alastor was forced to quickly retreat to within a wall when two of them, surprisingly, crawled into the wolves' lair and uncovered an indigo lantern, one even Alastor had not noticed before.

Soon after, the party entered the frescoed chamber and Alastor thought it would be humorous to hide within the sarcophagus and overhear their intentions. One of them seemed to have hung the lamp they found on one of the dangling chains, and then they moved the sarcophagus along its circular track to point toward the alcove with the yellow lit lantern, just as he had done years before.

When the gnome entered the tube that appeared after turning the sarcophagus, and immediately disappeared to the gasping surprise of his companions, Alastor had to retreat to his ethereal demesne so that they wouldn't hear his peals of laughter. By the time he caught his nonexistant breath and wiped away incoporeal tears, he manifested again in the chamber to find that the rest had followed the poor gnome. Shaking his head, he lowered himself through the floor into the lair of the architect, where the adventurers had taken themselves. At least they had chosen one of the safer routes.

When he entered the hall he discovered the adventurers scrambling over a fallen stone block as a green gas spilled into the room from small holes in the bas-relief frescoes. In life, Alastor had not been able to topple the block and returned to the elevator after a cursory examination, but he had explored the chambers beyond since that time and discovered the lurking strangler that somehow found its way down in recent days. Silently and unseen, Alastor followed behind the adventurers through the statue-lined corrider to witness their abilities and reactions to the monster beyond.

The aberration had caught them off guard, certainly, but the party managed to destroy the creature after several frustrating misses. He giggled as some of them failed to resist the creature's abilities of fright and sleep, but in the end they managed to succeed, and Alastor silently congratulated them as he followed them to the central pillar and watched them enter the bedchamber of the architect.

After visiting the remains of his skeleton beneath a sea of steel balls, comforted once more by its presence, Alastor returns to the chamber with the adventurers to monitor the rest of the progress. Perhaps these adventurers have gotten further than most, but they still have not succeeded where he had failed. They still need to find the entrance to the true tomb.

Hidden and silent, the ghost watches and waits.


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## hbarsquared (May 22, 2006)

*Chapter Three, Page 4*

Only the wooden narrow door, the mold-encrusted archway, and a hapless adventurer beneath the fallen pillar remain unexplored within the series of chambers at the end of the passage. Owen finds no secret doors lining the chamber with the stone slab and Kenneth seems to have recovered from his drowsy experience with the cushion of air.

The only exit is the elevator tube that they had descended beneath the yellow lantern, on the opposite side of the fallen stone slab. The green mist has long since dispersed since their battle with the aberration.

*silentspace*
Majakilar stares at Kenneth quizzically, then just shrugs. He starts searching through the "wardrobes and dressers", wondering if anything had been missed by past tomb raiders.​
*Azten*
Azten does his best to determine the age of the stonework in order to answer Majakilar's question. 
That finished, he rolls his eyes at Kenneth's enthusiasm towards the air mattress. 

What kind of being would want to ruin a perfectly good stone bed with a pad of air, anyway?

Shaking his head in a slightly disbelieving fashion, Azten moves back towards the door of the bedroom, not sharing in the interest of the others in searching the drawers and other furnishings of the room.

I am going to go back next door to the pillar room - I would like to see if I can find out more about whoever set the trap off.

OOC: Search +2 (+4 if involves stonework)​
*Mista Collins*
"I really don't think there is much to see in this area. I am curious on what remains in the other corridors in the lantern room. and if all else fails, those lanterns were worth a bit. We could take those and maybe find out way out of Diamond Lake."

Owen notices Azten heading back to the stone trap and decides to follow him. "I might be able to help you with that."​
*Thanee*
“Maybe we should dig out this poor fellow here and bury him outside later. For now I would like to check out the rest down here, behind the wooden door and that archway, and then I also think we should try one of the other corridors.”​
*Azten*
Azten has simultaneous flashes of personal shame for his lack of thought, and admiration for the considerate thought voiced by Alexi. After all, he is a cleric, and consideration of spiritual matters should come naturally to him.

I am a bit embarrassed to say that I had not considered giving the victim a proper burial. I was mainly looking to learn more about them. 

Then again, without knowing more about him or her, it would be almost impossible to know what would be considered proper for that person.

In any case, if everyone else is ready to forge ahead, I am ready as well.

We can always return or have someone else return to see to the victim's spiritual needs.​
*silentspace*
Majakilar pauses searching for a moment. "If time's an issue, then let's move on. But if it's not an issue, why not search everything?"​
*Voadam*
"I agree with Alexi, once everybody is through here we should go on to that door."​
Majakilar finds nothing in the assorted pieces of stone furniture: the entire room has been picked clean by previous adventurers and tomb robbers.

Examining the stonework of the central pillar, Azten and Owen notice the mechanism of chains that disappear into the dark shaft above, still solidly attached to the fallen column. The column, however, is immovable, and rests about an inch embedded into the stone floor. There is nothing to dig around to get to the hapless adventurer beneath it. The stonework itself is tremendously old, at least several thousand years, the likes of which Azten has never seen before.

*Thanee*
“Well, at least we tried.”

Alexi then heads over to where they had seen the wooden door, but stops when she stands in front of it.

“Uhm, Owen? You know more about these things... maybe you should take a look before we go through? It won't hurt to be a little more careful down here.”​
*silentspace*
An examination of the wall bordering the niche with the fallen pillar would have revealed nothing, except for Azten's keen senses regarding the stone manufacture of the intricate trap. His hand brushes against an awkward portion of stone, revealing a hidden catch. It has not been moved in several years, but Azten can tell it is in an "unlocked" position, and moves easily within its barely discernable alcove.

OOC - Azten's Search check +4: rolled 16, success.

Majakilar, studying the crushed tomb raider with the others, is starngely drawn to the trigger latch. He pushes it to the "locked" position.​
*Mista Collins*
Turning from his study of the central pillar walks over to Alexi. "Well I will see what I can do."

Kneeling beside the door Owen pulls out little tools wrapped in a soft leather case. Holding one of the tools Owen examines the door closely.

OOC - Search, Open Lock, and Disable Device +7​
*Voadam*
Gregor goes over to the door, ready to force it open if need be.​
*Azten*
Azten stands aside while Majakilar sets the latch to the locked position, listening intently for any sound of moving stone or other activity.

Assuming nothing happens, he then joins the rest of the group as they investigate the wooden door.

OOC: Listen +3​
As the two rogues kneel before the wooden door, Gregor arrives from behind. The door is untrapped and indeed unlocked, and instead of using the delicate tools Owen has retrieved, he turns the knob and pushes the door inward. Within the small five-by-five foot room is a stone seat with a hole in its center, an austure toilet that has not been used in centuries.

A deep rumbling of stone grinding against stone interrupts their inspection. The three turn to find Azten and Majakilar backpedaling from the central pillar and the fallen column being hoisted back into the ceiling by rusted chains. After a few moments it grinds to a halt after meshing with the ceiling at a jarring angle. Azten can tell the trap that had doomed the previous tomb robber is now forever useless, as the trigger was destroyed when the column fell.

Revealed on the floor is a crushed human skeleton wearing shiny silver chainmail, along with several crushed items and the remains of the leather bag. Within the niche hang several still intact items on short pegs: two slender rods and what seems to be a pair of goggles.

*silentspace*
"Whoa!" says Majakilar, slapping Azten on the back. "It's just like mining, except a lot easier!" He starts studying the items.​
*Voadam*
Gregor eyes the moving trap with trepidation then scowls at the bar relief figure "I don't like these bald people. If this is just a bedroom, who would set a two-ton death trap right next to where they sleep?"​
*Raging Epistaxis*
Indeed!

Faced with shiny chain mail, Azten finds his former protestations of disinterest in looting to have been premature, if not patently false. He is torn for a moment between investigating the odd rods and goggles on the wall, and looking closer at the chain mail.

During that moment his dwarven nature comes to the fore and without thinking he kneels next to the crushed human to get a closer look at the chain mail. 

All the better to assess it's quality and make. 
...
For the humans. He tells himself.
As an afterthought, he remembers to look for any symbols which might indicate a religious affiliation for the remains...​
No holy symbol or armaments identify the crushed skeleton, although the chainmail, besides a number of dents and scratches, looks suprisingly wearable and has resisted the erosion of time. Any other belongings the tomb robber once had have been thoroughly crushed into dust and shards.

Kenneth peeks over Azten's shoulder.

"Wow, would you look at that!" he exclaims.

*silentspace*
Majakilar nods at Gregors' comment. "Unless it was a temple, though why you'd trap a temple like that is strange too, it's not the altar that was trapped anyway, but a niche. These rods and goggles might've been some sort of sacred relics, maybe..." Majakilar twiddles with them for a moment before handing them to Alexi. "Here, you might be better at figuring out what these do than me"

Examining the chainmail, he says, "Maybe Gregor or I should try that on for now. From what we've encountered so far we may need it! I could surely use it, I don't have a shield." Majakilar looks inquiringly at Gregor.​
*Thanee*
“Looks like you will get your burial after all, poor fellow. Good work there with that pillow!”

*Voadam*
"You take it Majak. I don't think it would fit me anyway and I've got this great shield." Gregor grins and thumps the table top he turned into a shield.​
*silentspace*
"Alright Gregor, I will. Hey Gregor, could you carry my scale mail for me? You can carry a lot, and we can sell it when we get back to town."

Majakilar strips out of his scale mail and gives it to Gregor, then tries on the chain mail.​
*Azten*
Let me know if you have any difficulty fitting the mail - I may be able to help.

Then turning his attention back to the other items, he remarks

So. Any ideas what these things are?​
*Thanee*
“Broken?”​
*Voadam*
"Sure." Gregor stuffs the scale mail into his backpack then hefts the now heavy pack.​
*Mista Collins*
"All that suspense, and all we find is every man's favorite throne." Once the rumbling stops Owen walks over to investigate with the rest of the party.

Seeing the googles and the rods, Owen extends his hands. "I'll gladly take a look at some of the items. I might be able to find something out. Can I see them?"

If handed to Owen he will look them over carefully, trying to appraise the craftsman ship of each item. Once he determines the value of each item he will put on the google. "How do I look?", Owen asks with a chuckle and a smile.

If any skills apply, I can make an attempt with Jack of All Trades. I have a +3 INT mod and a +2 CHA mod.​
*silentspace*
Revealed on the floor is a crushed human skeleton wearing shiny silber chaimail, along with several crushed items and the remains of the leather bag.

"Pillow? Throne?" Majakilar's not as sharp as the others, and not really sure what they're talking about. In any event, Majakilar will go through the crushed items, looking to learn something about the crushed human here.​
Majakilar takes upon himself the gruesome task of removing the chainmail from the remains of the desiccated crushed bones. After removing his own armor he slips the chain over his head to rest on his shoulders. Strangely, it seems to fit perfectly, and after stretching out his arms and twisting his back he and Azten realize that no alterations are needed.

Kenneth raises an eyebrow. "Here, let me take a look," he says, then mutters an incantation and passes a hand over his eyes. Kenneth stares up at Majakilar's chainmail intently for several moments, then shifts his glance to the rods still hangining in the niche and the goggles in Owen's hands.

"They're magical," he says with excitement, reaching out for one of the slender rods, turning it over in his hands. Runes in the same odd language of the long-ago inhabitants circle each of the short sticks. "I wonder what they do? We'll have to ask Allustan, the next time we see him."

OOC - Kenneth cast detect magic, but has no ranks in Spellcraft so could not identify any auras.

The lenses of the goggles are made of crystal, and fit over Owen's eyes easily. Through the lenses, his vision is unobscured, but as he turns his head he realizes that anything near him quickly comes into sharp focus, as if everything was outlined with a thin black line.

OOC - The goggles are goggles of minute seeing, granting a +5 competence bonus to Search checks to find secret doors, traps, and similar concealed objects, within 1 foot or less.

*silentspace*
"Wow, magic!" Majakilar touches his chainmail in astonishment. It looks like it's going to take a while for him to get used to the idea of wearing magic armor.​
OOC - Apologies, I forgot: the chainmail is +1 chainmail, so that you can update your character sheet, silentspace.

*Voadam*
Smiling Gregor says "That would explain why it survived being crushed by the stone! This is wonderful for us." then he frowns "Remember though, even with such magic a stone block or cave in can get you so stay alert." The concern for his friends evident on the young man's face.​
*Azten*
Aye, marvelous though it may be, no armor is total proof against harm.

Since all the loot seems to have been accounted for, Azten suggests the group check out the remaining archway.​
*silentspace*
"Aye, I'll still be careful..." Majakilar says, though he's not had any real knowledge in how to be. "In the mines we had 'natural' traps, cave-ins and sinkholes. They were bad enough. Mostly us miners found them the hard way. Gregor and I've lost good friends and companions to those traps. A couple times me and Gregor carried barely living survivers to Azten for healing. But these traps are potentially even deadlier than those we faced in the mines."​
*Mista Collins*
"Woah! These things are pretty neat. Everything seems to be in sharp focus!" Owen seems to be delighted that the group has found other objects that might help us get out Diamond Lake faster. "Sounds like the life of a miner was tough and more demanding than I thought, Majakilar. I commend you and Gregor for being able to handle it."​
*Azten*
Heading toward the archway, Azten comments back over his shoulder to the others.

Yes, if one of those traps gets you I would not be able to help. Although I have seen such miracles granted by Moradin, I fear that is far beyond my meager abilities.​
*Thanee*
“Then we should be careful, so far it has worked out well enough. Let's see what other wonders this place holds for us!”

Alexi is obviously delighted by all the discoveries and the whole adventuring in this place. She quickly moves up to Azten who is already on his way to the next part of this underground dwelling. Good dwarf. That's the spirit!​
*Mista Collins*
"Hey! Don't leave me behind!" Owens says as he notices the rest of the group moving. His attention was obviously on the new googles over his eyes, which look quite silly with he green wide-brimmed hat he is wearing on his head. "This is place gets better and better! Let's see what is down the other corridors!!"​
*Voadam*
Gregor nods and heads through the arch, smiling at the group's successes so far.​
In response to Gregor's concern, Azten eyes the stonework of their chamber and concludes that, despite its obvious ancient construction, it remains sound, perhaps safer than any home constucted in Diamond Lake.

The adventurers approach the last archway facing the central pillar on the side opposite the spartan bedroom, and stop five feet from the edge of the brown mold completely filling the area. The temperature has noticeably dropped nearer the mold and their breath forms small clouds of vapor. Kenneth begins to feel his bare feet begin to go numb, but ignores the cold as he strains his neck to see into the final chamber. A bright light comes from behind the archway.

"Careful," cautions Kenneth, rubbing his hands together to generate a modicum of heat. "This type of mold is tricky. I heard about it from an old friend of mine that found some in another one of the caves around town. Turns out the stuff sucks in heat like nothing: fire only causes it to grow stonger."

Kenneth motions to Mahakilar to lower the torch and keep it away from the brown growth. "It's cold that actually harms it."

OOC - Kenneth's bardic knowledge check, +4: rolled 16, success.

The gnome sighs, remembering that he has neither alchemist's frost or learned any cold magic. "Anyone have any ideas?"

*silentspace*
"Really? We can't kill it by slicing at it, or burning it? I'm sorry I don't have any ideas."

ooc: would holding up a shield-like object protect us from cold and allow us to pass?​
OOC - With regards to the shield idea, unfortunately, no. The party can either come back another day (with alchemist frost or with a different prepared spell selection), or try running through the mold anyway and taking the nonlethal cold damage.

*Thanee*
“It's harmed by cold only? How comes it lives down in the cold then? Well, I'm afraid, I don't have anything remotely as cold as you are suggesting here...”

Alexi frowns. “Let's check out some of the other corridors then. I don't think we'll get past here, if this... stuff... is dangerous to touch, I wouldn't want to try to jump over it, just to find myself right in the center of this freezing mess.”

OOC: Next level... Ray of Frost!​
*Voadam*
"Yeah, we would want furs or blankets to wrap up in before going into such a place right now, let's check out the safer areas first before going into the cold gunk room."​
*Azten*
I fear I know of no prayers that might serve to protect us from this unnatural cold. Or any that be of use in beating this mold back.
I need to remember to check with the clergy when I return to see if they would know of any such useful prayers.

A pained expression briefly passes over Azten's face, as though he had sampled spoiled brew.

And, as much as I hate to leave a portion of this wonderous place unexplored, I agree we should proceed back to the sarcophagus chamber and choose a new course of action.​
*Mista Collins*
Patting Azten on the shoulder, Owen looks at him with a smile. "Oh don't you worry dear friend, I don't plan on letting any part of this place go unexplored. I have no problem with coming back another day. Who knows what wealth this place holds!"​


----------



## hbarsquared (May 22, 2006)

*Chapter Three, Page 5*

Shivering in the cold, the party slowly circles around the central pillar to retreat down the hallway with the androgynous statues nestled in their alcoves. The dust and the green gas has long since settled since the stone slab was toppled, and the way to the elevator remains clear. As they pass by, Kenneth leans down to retrieve his shoewear and with an arcane incantation, cleans them of any posionous residue that might remain.

The moving stone chamber is nowhere to be seen. Eagerly, Kenneth presses the button inset into the wall near the shaft and a familar deep rumbling reverberates throughout the hall. Moments later, the metal cylinder appears from the ceiling above and its doors slide open. One at a time, the cylinder rising and lowering each time, the adventurers step in and return to the main chamber of the whispering cairn.

"So, says Kenneth, leaning against the sarcophagus, "which way should we point this thing now?"

OOC - A reminder: The sarcophagus is currently pointing toward the alcove with the yellow lantern. The alcoves arranged in a circle are the empty alcove, the one with the orange lantern, the one with the yellow lantern (where the party just came from), the green lantern, the blue lantern, and the indigo lantern (hung by Owen). The green lantern is lit with a continual flame.

*Thanee*
“I would say green, or orange. Or blue? Maybe we should just start somewhere, well we did that already, actually, and then work our way in a circle...”​
*silentspace*
"Sounds great to me. Either direction's fine with me."​
*Azten*
OOC: Clockwise, the colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
And, IIRC it was originally pointing toward orange and we moved it one space clockwise to yellow. So, if we continue as we started, green would be next.

It matters not to me which we take, although I still am uneasy about the green passage - that was the lantern that was lit before we got here.​
*Mista Collins*
"Well, if we want to do this sysematically, green would be our next option."​
*Voadam*
"Moving methodically around sounds best. Green then. I'll check it out." Gregor then squeezes back into the cylinder to see where it takes him.​
*silentspace*
Assuming it works like last time, Majakilar goes next.​
*Azten*
... followed by a somewhat hesitant dwarf.​
*Mista Collins*
With a nice little flourish of his cloak, a sarcastic smile, and innocent eyes, Owen looks at Alexi. "After you m'lady."​
*Thanee*
With a wink in Owen's direction, Alexi steps in behind Azten.

“At least we will find out, if the lit lantern did mean anything, or whether it was just some sort of coincidence.”​
OOC -Since the consensus seems to agree on turning the sarcophagus to the green lantern, I will do just that; sorry, Raging.
Despite Azten's uneasiness, Gregor and Majakilar lean on the sarcophagus and gently shift the arrow to point to the next alcove in sequence, the alcove with the lit green lantern.

As the sarcophagus glides to a stop, a cacophonous creaking of stone against stone emerges from the ground beneath the lantern. There is a familiar distant rumbling, and the green lantern swings gently on its length of chain, casting dancing, eerie shadows into the central chamber.

As before, the the circular stone at the end of the tunnel rises eight feet in the air, pushed up by the metal cylinder that seems to arise from the ground itself. The two slim, metal doors shutter open to reveal an empty cylinder. All quiets.

Each of the companions approach the elevator and glance at one another apprehensively, but it is Gregor who shrugs and steps into the open cylinder with a torch. The doors slide shut, sealing the giant within, and the cylinder descends. The great rumbling can be heard again, and those standing in the tunnel feels the ground rumble slightly, as if something is about to give way. The shuddering stops for a few moments, then resumes and after a few moments the metal cylinder returns with doors sliding open to reveal it empty once again.

Gregor:
As the column descends, Gregor notices a distinct shaking, as if the outer walls of the cylinder grate against the stone of the shaft. However, the elevator otherwise functions exactly as the other, and the metal doors slide open to reveal a new chamber. Gregor steps out, the doors close behind him, and the cylinder ascends to the chamber above with a grinding sound.

Dozens of bas-relief figures similar to the one on the sarcophagus lid in the room above stare disapprovingly from the walls here in stark contrast to the reverential and blissful statues of the first underground chamber. Many sport crossed arms and stern expressions. A few of the statues' heads are missing, and some have huge chunks torn out of them. Others have a weird melted appearance, as if they'd been sprayed by something terrible. A large glyph of a stylized arrow, identical to the glyph seen on the amulet above the strange bed of stone and wind points down a short corridor that leads to a four-way intersection.

OOC - If anyone wants to change their already posted actions, feel free to do so. I didn't want to jump ahead. If no one has any new or edited posts by sometime this weekend (I dont know when. Either I'm intentionally leaving it a mystery, or I'm just lazy. That's for you to decide.  ), I will continue with the actions above.

*silentspace*
ooc: Gregor and Majakilar have been through too much together for Majakilar to abandon Gregor, so he's definitely following him. ​


----------



## hbarsquared (May 22, 2006)

*Chapter Three, Page 6*

Majakilar steps into the open cylinder and descends safely, as well, despite the loud grinding of stone against stone. When the elevator rises a second time, Azten notices that the noise never lessened. Hesistantly, he steps into the cylinder to follow the two miners to the chamber below.

The metal doors slide shut and the cylinder begins to lower.

After a scant few seconds of rumbling, the roar of stone rises and the dwarf feels the floor give way beneath his feet. His heart leaps into his throat as his body is suddenly suspended in freefall as the entire elevator apparatus clatters to the ground below. Azten crumples to the floor of the cylinder as it lodges at an angle in the alcove of the chamber.

OOC -Reflex save +9 against DC 12 to avoid lethal damage: rolled 7, failure. Received 4 damage.

Gregor and Majakilar jump back when the rumbling grew louder and they heard the cylinder give way. With a loud crash, the cylinder comes to rest in the alcove, releasing a cloud of choking dust and scattering clattering pebbles into the chamber. The metal doors are scrapped and dented, but remain closed.

Alexi, Owen, and Kenneth watch the stone plug sink into the floor behind Azten, and moments later the three see the floor around the five foot circle begin to crack and crumble. The stone gives way and Owen leaps backward to avoid the sudden sinkhole that appears where Azten had entered the elevator only seconds before.

"After you m'lady," Owen mutters.

From within the dark hole, the remaining party hear the skittering of thousands of insects, growing louder with every passing second, making their way up the collapsed shaft.

OOC - *Ahem* Shoulda listened to Azten, I'm afraid. Poor guy. Why did he have to be person three to use the elevator?

Azten, Gregor, and Majakilar are in the lower chamber with Azten currently still sealed in the elevator. Kenneth, Owen, and Alexi are in the sarcophagus chamber with a swarm of insects approaching. Roll initiative and state your actions!

*Mista Collins*
Stepping away from the hole, Owen glances towards Alexi and Kenneth with a look of suprise. "This can't be good." Drawing his rapier and dagger he prepares for whatever might come out of the hole.

OOC - Rolled initiative of 10 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=370003) MA - Move back 20', SA - Draw weapons.​
*Azten*
Deeply shaken by the collapse of the elevator, it takes Azten a few moment to collect his thoughts and realize what has happened.
Trying to sound defiant and angry, yet mostly achieving dwarven petulance, he raises his fist in the air, shakes it, and yells back up to the remainder of the party: Oh, Sure! We should take GREEN shaft!! 
Then, muttering more softly to himself:
no one listens to the voice of experience... "Yeah the dwarf does not want to go that way, So that way we will go..." <grumble grumble>

When the last echoes of his outburst fade from hearing he realizes just how he sounded, and to his credit, is a little ashamed. He takes a moment to assess himself for injury, and finding nothing major, give thanks to Moradin for his health.

With his wounds treated, he turns his attention to the environment, looking for the doors, and listening for any activity around him.

I am here! 
...

Hello? 

...

Gregor? ... Majakilar? ... Anyone?

OOC: "Bueller?" ... "Bueller?" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/) "Anyone?"  
Down to 6 HP - will save his last couple of cure orisons for later.​
*silentspace*
"Cave in!" yells Majakilar, jumping back with Gregor. He had a feeling that is what the rumbling could have meant, like he had witnessed in the mines before. As the dust settles, and Majakilar realizes Azten is inside the collapsed elevator, he yells "Hold on Azten, we're going to get you out!" 

ooc: Majakilar (and Gregor?) will try forcing the door, or chopping it with their weapons, or perhaps figuring out some sort of lever mechanism to open it.​
*Voadam*
Once the crash is over Gregor jumps to action dropping his mace as he runs to the trapped dwarf's aid "Give me a hand with this Majak!" as he rushes over to the sealed cylinder and grips the edges of the door with his massive hands and strains to force them open by brute strength.

ooc Gregor has +1 on init, and str 20 (+5) to force open the door, with Majakalar aiding other that would go up to +7 I believe.​
*Thanee*
“I totally agree, that doesn't sound good. I hope you guys are ok, down there!” Alexi ends shouting and immediately retreats away from the shaft.

“Come, we do not want to have any more of those stones crumble and fall down on their heads or something like that. Or be close to whatever comes up the shaft.”​
"Wait!" calls Kenneth as the noise of skittering insects slowly grows. As the three retreat from the gaping hole in the stone floor, Kenneth begins to fumble in his pockets.

"Owen! Weapons won't do any damage against a hoard of insects! We need fire!" He turns to Alexi as he retrieves a small flask from his vest. "You still have that thick blanket, don't you?"

OOC - Bardic knowledge check +4: rolled 12, success.

* * *​
As the dust clears, Gregor sees the cylinder lodged at the bottom of the shaft, debris surrounding it like a pillow, and the faraway, indistinguishable voice of the dwarf within. Forcing his fingers into the crack between the two doors, Gregor pulls them apart as his giant-like muscles bulge beneath his skin. The metal doors separate, revealing Azten standing inside, injured but alive.

OOC - Instead of taking 20, I had Gregro do an unaided strength check before Majakilar reached him. DC 20 to open doors: rolled 25, a natural 20. Congratulations!

Azten gives a quick glance over the fallen elevator and the stonework surrounding the shaft and surmises that the danger had passed. Eyeing the sixty foot tunnel to the chamber above, he wonders how he could have even survived the fall.

The three hear Alexi's voice, far above through the shaft, shouting, "I hope you guys are ok, down there," quickly followed by a distant buzzing, as if a beehive had been knocked out of a tree.

*Thanee*
“Not on me, Gregor has that right now.”​
*Azten*
Thank you Gregor. Are you and Majakilar ok?
Surveying the damage, Azten realizes just how blessed he is to have survived and again gives thanks to Moradin for his safety.

Hearing Alexi call down, he answers her question - Aye, we survived - and then notices the escalating buzzing sound.

What now?​
Kenneth's face crumbles at Alexi's response just as he unstoppers the cork on the small vial. He glances at the vial, then to the collapsed shaft, then back to the vial again, as the incessant skittering and buzzing grows louder. His vial of hair oil was supposed to last him several months, but it was flammable and they needed something to fend off the hoard of insects approaching.

"I guess we'll have to make the best of it." He shrugs and approaches the hole, upending his vial of oil at its edge and quickly backing up.

"Owen," he says, "I hope you didn't give Gregor your flint and steel, because that is the only way that we can light it.

"Wait until the bugs come through the hole, then set it on fire. If we're lucky, the bugs will get caught in it, too."

*Voadam*
"We're fine Atzen, although it will be a climb to get back up. We're much deeper than I thought we would be." Now that Atzen is free Gregor goes and picks up his dropped things. "What is that buzzing sound?"​
*silentspace*
Majakilar shakes his head in astonishment at Gregor's feat of strength. He's seen it many times before, in the mines, when Gregor would almost routinely demonstrate the strength of two men. But nonetheless he was always impressed by it.

"Buzzing sound? I thought that was just my ears ringing from the cave-in!" Majakilar shakes his head uncertainly. Picking up his weapon, he looks around the chamber, exploring​
Azten, Majakilar, and Gregor explore the remains of the elevator shaft, looking up at the pinpoint of green light in the distance in the chamber above. Gregor holds aloft his torch, and in the light of the flickering flames and the vaguest greenish glow, the three at the bottom of the shaft can barely make out an undulating blanket of beetles, the source of the buzzing, along the inner wall of the shaft, racing for the surface.

From a dark outcropping within the tunnel emerges a skittering, horrible aberration with six sharp legs sprouting from a central body that is little more than a disgusting eye. The creature's single eye swivels in their direction, fixing them in its gaze, then quickly descends to meet them with a maddening clicking sound of its legs racing across the pitted and scarred shaft.

OOC -
Initiative:
-----
Round 1
21 - Azten
19 - Gregor
15 - Mad slasher
7 - Majakilar
-----

*Voadam*
"Get back Atzen! Let me and Majak take care of it!" Gregor sets himself and braces for the impact of the onrushing creature, big metal flange drawn back and ready to smash once the creature is within reach.

ooc ready action to strike the eye bug with my makeshift mace. +5 to hit d8+5 damage.​
*Azten*
By the time Gregor has finished speaking, Azten is already moving carefully backward, with no desire to confront the aberration while the better fighters are stuck behind him.

What is this - a collection of eyeball creatures!?!

OOC: withdraw to behind Majakilar and Gregor, ready to defend himself or use a cure minor orison if needed (cures 1 hp damage)​
OOC - Since Majakilar has a lower initiative, I will go ahead and post the actions of Azten, Gregor, and the mad slasher first. When you post, silentspace, go ahead and assume these actions have already taken place in the round, and it's your initiative.
Stepping quickly over the piles of rubble, Azten positions himself behind the two giant miners as the aberration skitters down the side of the shaft. Gregor raises his mace moments before the creature plows into him, a whirlwind of slashing claws and piercing legs. His weapon glances off one of its legs as it jabs another into his shoulder.

OOC -
Gregor attacks mad slasher with readied action, +5: rolled 12, miss.
Mad slasher charged Gregor: hit, 4 damage.
Majakilar's turn.

*Mista Collins*
Taking his backpack off of his shoulders, he puts it on the ground and quickly pulls out his flint and steel. "Now if you wouldn't spend all your money and time on your fancy clothes and stupid beauty products, you might find that having a few practical things for exploring a dungeon will be more practical," Owen says in Kenneth's native tongue as he tosses the flint and steel to Kenneth.

Digging a little further into his backpack, Owen pulls out his own flask of oil. This time he continues in Common. "I wish I would have bought those stupid torches I was eyeing instead of this lantern! But I might be able to add to the fire."​
*silentspace*
"Hang in there Gregor, let's flank him!" Majakilar steps around, swinging his guisearme at the latest aberration.

ooc: Majakilar's got combat reflexes, so he would've gotten a hit in the first round if the creature passed through one of his threatened spaces. If he can circle around to flank without taking an AoO he'll do it. Otherwise he'll take a 5' step towards eventually flanking. He's also dodging against it. ​
OOC - Well, silentspace, Majakilar was technically flat-footed, which means, even with Combat Reflexes, he cannot take any attacks of opportunity. I'm also assuming that Gregor and Majakilar started out essentially side-by-side in the corridor next to the collapsed elevator. Due to the confines, Majakilar will not be able to gain a flanking position; the mad slasher is, in essence, backed up against the elevator. A five-foot-step by Majakilar now will enable him to wield his reach weapon.

I'll apply that dodge bonus for you. 

Majakilar steps back as he brings his guisearme to bear, hooking into the strange beast. He jerks the weapon and manages to twist one of the thing's legs and an unearthly squeal emanates from within its fleshy mass.

OOC -
Majakilar attacks mad slasher, +2: rolled 18, hit, 8 damage.

* * *​
Kenneth snatches the flint and steel from the air, mouth agape but not at a loss for words.

"We were just supposed to explore," he says emphatically, kneeling next to the puddle of oil and readying himself to send the sparks into the oil. "Like Horgar of Slethikan, who went cave-delving for five days and returned with heaps of gold and gems, without encountering a single creature."

As Kenneth speaks, a living geyser of beetles bursts from the shaft, an expanding carpet of glittering carapaces that trail a thin coat of bright yellow substance in its wake. As one, the beetles focus their efforts and arrow for Kenneth, still kneeling on the opposite of the oil.

Frantically, he strikes the flint against the steel, sending a miniature cascade of sparks into the oil. Just as the swarm of beetles skitter through the oil, it erupts into flames, setting the insects alight. Sizzling and popping, the swarm scatters as the smell of something burnt permeates the air. A moment later it seems to recover, though smaller and less dense, and forms into a cohesive, flaming whole.

Kenneth turns and runs down the corridor toward Owen and Alexi to escape the onrushing swarm of insects. "Now's your chance, Owen!" he yells over the crackling of the burning insects. "Add to the fire!"

OOC -
Initiative
-----
Round 1
20 - Kenneth
10 - Owen
5 - Alexi
-----
Round 2
11 - Kenneth
11 - Beetle swarm
10 - Owen
5 - Alexi
-----
Kenneth delayed action until beetle swarm arrived in oil, move action to set on fire, move action to run 20 ft. away.
Beetles caught fire, 4 damage. Reflex save against DC 15: failure (will take fire damage the following round on its turn). Moves 20 ft. toward Kenneth, Owen, and Alexi.
Owen's and Alexi's turn.
I'm assuming that when everyone moved back, that it was about 20 ft. At this point on Owen's turn the beetle swarm is right in front of both Owen and Alexi.

*Thanee*
Not knowing what to do against the swarm, Alexi backs off further.

“Sorry, I don't think I have anything to add to the fire. Do you think they will follow us? We could just head out and lose them, then come back.”​
*silentspace*
ooc: regarding combat reflexes and attacks while flat-footed, click (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#combatReflexes)​
*Azten*
As Majakilar hooks into the slasher, Azten slips an involuntary Yeah! while continuing to defend or heal as needed.​
*Voadam*
"Ahhh!" Gregor howls as the beast claws into him tearing his flesh. The giant youth smashes his metal club again into the thing, trying to smash it into pulp.​
*Mista Collins*
Tossing his flask of oil onto the blazing beetles, Owen backs up along side of Alexi. "If that doesn't do the trick, I recommend running!"​
Majakilar wrenches his guisarme again and the creature's legs become entangled in the head of the weapon. The central, bulbous eye widens and the creature collapses in a mass of thrashing, spindly legs, tearing long gashes into Gregor as it falls amongst the rubble.

The giant raises his mace in anger with a howl and brings it down upon the defenseless aberration, but at the critical moment his foot slips on a loose stone, throwing him off-balance, and his weapon crashes into a rock inches from the creature's central body. It skitters backward and rears up in front of the open doors of the destroyed elevator and plunges a foreleg toward Gregor's chest.

The legs find only air as Gregor yanks his mace from the rubble and dodges out of the way of Majakilar's thrust of the polearm. The creature lowers its body to the ground like a spider, avoiding the guisarme that twists overhead, as well as the wide arc of Gregor's mace.

A sharp leg strikes for an opening as Gregor tries to recover from his missed swing. He gasps suddenly as it pierces deep into his side, but just as quickly the leg slides out from his wound. Gregor turns to see Majakilar's guisarme penetrating the body of the skittering aberration with offal oozing from it. It wrenches itself free, its single eye darting frantically, and flexes its six legs as if to sprint.

OOC -
Initiative:
-----
Round 1
7 - Majakilar: Free successful trip: mad slasher knocked prone.

Round 2
21 - Azten: Full defense.
15 - Gregor: Attacks mad slasher, +5: rolled natural 1, miss.
15 - Mad slasher: Move action to stand up. Attacks Gregor: miss.
7 - Majakilar: Attacks mad slasher, +2: rolled 7, miss.

I was hoping having the mad slasher prone would have helped out Gregor's attack. Of all times, why did I have to roll a natural 1 for him?! Sorry 'bout that, guys.

Round 3
21 - Azten: Full defense.
15 - Gregor: Attacks mad slasher, +5: rolled 11, miss.
15 - Mad slasher: Attacks Gregor: miss. Attacks Gregor again: hit, 8 damage. Gregor at 0 hp, disabled.
7 - Majakilar: Attacks mad slasher, +2: rolled 16, hit, 11 damage. Mad slasher at hp-19.

The mad slasher is backed up against, but not inside, the collapsed shaft. Gregor is standing toe-to-toe with it, facing the collapsed shaft. Majakilar is near the corner of the room next to one of the statues to give himself 10 ft. reach. The mad slasher cannot be flanked (since it's essentially within the alcove). Azten is further away from the shaft, behind both Majakilar and Gregor in a "V" formation.

*silentspace*
"You no-good, filthy sack of... eye! Go ahead, try to run! I'm going to slice you in half you... eye!"

Majakilar continues his attack. He hopes the creature flees through his threatened area, allowing him time to slash his guisearme at it again.​
Owen throws his flask of oil into the flaming carpet of beetles which explodes in their midst, sending flaming insects into the air like a miniature fireworks display. As Owen, Alexi, and Kenneth retreat, the swarm of squealing, chittering beetles pursues them down the hall and into the large sarcophagus chamber.

They manage to outpace the swarm as it leaves behind a trail of burnt cinders and black residue. As they reach the central sarcophagus, the blanket of beetles shudders and dissipitates. Flaming insects scatter across the floor, either finding cracks or dying with a final popping release of acrid smoke. A few moments longer and nothing remains except the charred trail of ooze and the pungent smell of burnt insects.

From deep within the shaft at the end of the hall, each can barely make out the yells of their companions below.

OOC -
Initiative
-----
Round 2
10 - Owen: Threw flask of oil at swarm, 2 damage. Swarm at hp-6. Retreated down tunnel.
5 - Alexi: Retreated down tunnel.

Round 3
11 - Kenneth: Retreated down tunnel.
11 - Beetle swarm: Reflex save DC 15: rolled 6, failure, 6 damage. Swarm killed.

*Thanee*
“Phew! Good work, guys! Now let's see what's up with the rest.”

Alexi heads back to the elevator, carefully stepping along the side of the oozy trail.​
*Azten*
Azten continues to defend, ready to heal Gregor and Majakilar if needed.​
*Mista Collins*
"It worked! I thought we were gonna be running for awhile!" Following behind Alexi, Owen follows but makes it a point to walk wide of the charred trail of ooze. "I hope they are alright!"​
As the aberration balances itself on the loose rubble, Azten reaches out from behind Gregor and lays a hand upon his back while whispering a prayer to his patron. Gregor still feels the pain of his wounds, but the prayer reinvigorates him, granting him the energy to wield his mace once again.

With a yell he brings the mace over his head as the creature focuses on dodging Majakilar's thrusts, and brings it down in a powerful, crushing arc. The mace crushes the fleshy body, spattering strangely colored fluids in all directions, and its legs crumple beneath it.

OOC -
Initiative:
-----
Round 4
21 - Azten: Full defense. Cast cure minor wounds on Gregor, healing 1 damage. Gregor at 1 hp.
15 - Gregor: Attacked mad slasher, +5: rolled 24, hit, 9 damage. Mad slasher defeated.
Okay, that's over. I haven't played with reach weapons very often, and although I remember its properties when it comes to your melee attacks, I seem to unfortunately forget when it comes to the attack of opportunities. Many, many apologies, and I will try to be more aware of it in the future.


----------



## hbarsquared (May 22, 2006)

*Chapter Three, Page 7*

Crushing dead, smoldering beetles beneath their feet, Alexi, Owen, and Kenneth avoid the trail of blackened ooze and return to the collapsed shaft.

Kenneth holds a handkerchief to his face to ward off the stench, hopping from one patch free of the trail to another. "At least I have my shoes back..." he grumbles.

They reach the shaft and peer the sixty feet down to the chamber below. Numerous small cracks and handholds can be seen in the pitted and scarred walls of the shaft, and at the edge of the lantern's green light they see Gregor's torch waving about; any threat they encountered seems to have been defeated.

*Voadam*
Gregor collapses onto his knees, holding his bleeding wounds and breathing deeply. "I'm ready to call it a day."​
*Thanee*
Alexi carefully leans over and peers down into the darkness. She smiles as she sees the waving torch.

“Everything alright down there!? We are fine! Should we climb down to you?”​
*Mista Collins*
"Good to see you guys still alive!" Looking down the deep hole, Owen's face goes a little pale. "That is much deeper than I would have thought."​
*Azten*
Looking briefly at Gregor and Majakilar, Azten responds - Yes, we seem to be ok, but very deserving of a rest. 

Are you folks all ok? What was that noise?

Then, while waiting for answers, Azten looks around the room to assess it's value as a place to rest and regain spells.

OOC: If no one else is seriously injured, then Azten uses his last two cure minor on Gregor, and liberally applies healing skills all around (where needed) before resting. 
Heal +9​
*Mista Collins*
"We are alright. Alexi, Kenneth and I fended off a swarm of insects. My feet hurt a little bit, so a little rest wouldn't be a bad idea. If it isn't safe down there, I suggest we rest up here."​
*silentspace*
Majakilar looks at Gregor's wounds. Looking up at the massive warrior, he says "Hey little guy, I'm really glad you're alright. But with your wounds maybe we should look to get back up to the others. Some bed rest would probably do us good, and Azten could probably heal us up a bit better. What do you say Azten?" Majakilar examines the shaft, trying to gauge how difficult and dangerous the climb would be.​
*Azten*
OOC: I was kinda waiting for a description of the room, then I remembered that spoilered note to Gregor when he first went down the elevator... sure enough a description.Looking around at the passage, Azten decides that it would not make a very defensible place to stay for meaningful rest, and answers Majakilar.

As much as I hate the thought of going up and down that cursed shaft again, there are better places to rest up there than where we are now. And I need quiet time to pray to Moradin and reflect on all his wonders I have seen today.​
*Thanee*
“Has anyone seen a rope around here? That would be helpful, if they want to come back up to us.”​
*Mista Collins*
"Rope?! I knew I forgot something!" Owen says with feelings of anger at himself for not coming prepared. He then turns to Kenneth. "Let me guess, you don't have any either?"

Walking over to the hole, Owen looks down and shouts. "Any chances of you guys having some rope?"​
*Voadam*
"I've got a coil in my backpack. I hope 50 feet is enough. Do you have any up there you can lower down for us to climb up or should I try throwing mine up to you?"

If needed Gregor will hurl the rope up for them to secure and lower down then he will carry people as needed as he climbs up the rope.​
*Aztenp*
Remembering the 50' of hemp rope he has on his pack Azten responds: 
We can add mine to yours and should have more than enough to reach. 
I would offer to take the end up but I have little skill at climbing.​
*Thanee*
“Unfortunately we do not have any rope up here, but if needed we can search around for something, an old curtain or whatever, which we could lower down to drag your rope up.”​
OOC - Azten uses two cure minor wounds on Gregor. Gregor at 3 hp.

There is also no way that the rope can be tossed up the 60 ft. shaft. Someone will have to climb. Gregor and Owen have the best Climb modifiers at +5.

Azten glances around the passage in an effort to determine how defensible it may be, in the case of any more aberrations with an eye fetish decide to attack.

Dozens of bas-relief figures similar to the one on the sarcophagus lid in the room above stare disapprovingly from the walls here in stark contrast to the reverential and blissful statues of the first underground chamber. Many sport crossed arms and stern expressions. A few of the statues' heads are missing, and some have huge chunks torn out of them. Others have a weird melted appearance, as if they'd been sprayed by something terrible. A large glyph of a stylized arrow, identical to the glyph seen on the amulet above the strange bed of stone and wind points down a short corridor that leads to a four-way intersection. Azten does not want to remain to find out what else may have caused stone itself to melt away like candlewax.

"As much as I hate the thought of going up and down that cursed shaft again," Azten says, "there are better places to rest up there than where we are now. And I need quiet time to pray to Moradin and reflect on all his wonders I have seen today."

At the shaft's edge, Owen examines the scarred and pitted walls. It looks to be pure rock with plenty of small ledges and handholds, easily climbable, and despite the collapse of the elevator, relatively stable.

OOC - Although the decision seems to be for everyone to reunite above, I'm not sure how everyone would like to do this. At this point, we have a few options. 1) Gregor climbs up with a rope, and Majakilar and Azten then follow on the rope. 2) Owen climbs down, gets the rope, and brings it back up and attaches it. The three then climb up. Or, 3) Everyone climbs up without worrying about the rope. Don't worry about discussing it with the group: just go ahead and post your actions for what you will do, and I will make the checks for it.

After the party gets back together and decides on a resting place, I will apply Azten's Heal check.

*Voadam*
"Great Atzen, together that should do it. I'll lower the rope when I get to the top and we can haul both of you up safely. Wish me luck." Gregor stows Atzen's rope in his backpack and a steadying breath, then begins the ascent.​
*Azten*
Just be careful not to fall on me, big man! Azten says as he steps away from the shaft and the broken elevator, but continues to watch Gregor with some concern. 

Then, so softly not even Majakilar can hear him from a few feet away, he adds I'm too tired to use magic to heal anyone right now.​
*Mista Collins*
Seeing Gregor make the acent Owen leans down to give him some words of encouragement. "You can do it big guy! This is nothing!"

After a few words of encouragement, Owen leans over to Alexi and Kenneth.

Alexi & Kenneth:
"I hope the big guy makes it. It looks like he is wincing from a little pain and he doesn't look to be his best. I should have gone down and gotten the rope instead."​
Gregor ascends the shaft easily, grasping large handholds of stone that have melted into large knobs and lodging his feet into deep pits. He circles the walls of the shaft, resting every few moments on ledges large enough to support his weight, and reaches the top in only a few minutes where Owen, Alexi, and Kenneth await. He breathes heavily due to the exertion aggravating his wounds, but is prepared to haul up his friends from below.

Kenneth stares open-mouthed as Gregor hauls himself over the shaft edge. "By the gods, Gregor, what happened to you? You look terrble."

As Alexi takes the rope from Gregor's hands and ties the two lengths into one, Kenneth circles Gregor with hands outstretched, muttering beneath his breath. The blood stains, aberration offal, dirt and grit flake off and disappear leaving his clothing and armor looking shiny and brand new.

Kenneth nods with satisfaction. "That's better," he says.

Gregor tosses the rope over the side of the shaft and it tumbles down against the rubble of the ruined elevator at Majakilar's and Azten's feet. Straining and with muscles bulging, Gregor slowly lifts them up the shaft one at a time and onto the solid ground of the alcove while Kenneth cheers him on.

OOC - Gregor's carrying capacity for a heavy load is 400 lbs. Gregor can lift double this amount: 800 lbs., therefore lifting Azten and Majakilar up the shaft is not a problem.

Kenneth pulls out a worn notebook and small pencil with bit marks along its length and jots down some notes. "The giant who lifted his friends to safety," he mutters beneath his breath. "Fantastic."


----------



## hbarsquared (May 22, 2006)

*Chapter Three, Page 8*

The group finds it hard to believe, as they leave the dark confines of the cairn, that it is the late afternoon of the same day. Exhausted, the company trudges back to the abandoned mining office to rest and recuperate. Azten takes out some clean bandages to apply to Gregor's wounds and lays him down upon a worn cot.

OOC - Azten's Heal check for long-term care, +7 against DC 15: taking 10, 17, success. Gregor healed 2 hp overnight, at 5 hp the following day. I did not have Azten use his healer's kit, since it was not necessary to succeed at the DC.

Gregor's wounds would be difficult to explain if the party decides to return home. The taskmasters at the mines do not approve of their employees becoming damaged goods, and Gregor would most likely be dismissed if anyone discovered his condition. Likewise, Majakilar and Azten would dismissed as well for allowing it to occur. Alexi and Owen have no particular home to return to anyway, and Kenneth is eager to spend the night in the so-called "unexplored wilderness fraught with danger and excitement." The group elect to stay at the abandoned office and resume their exploration of the whispering cairn the following morning.

After straightening up portions of the small office, they discover that the building itself is in overall good shape, despite the moldy and splintering furnishings. Kenneth creates a small area of comfort in one corner of the room in record time and promptly leaves to explore the surroundings, warning the others that he had cast upon his belongings "potent, dangerous spells the likes of which have not been seen since the great archmage Manziborian from the land of Gieltan visited the Emporium."

That evening, each unfurls blankets and bedrolls and settles down for a restful sleep. Kenneth is the first to fall asleep and his resounding snores reverberate against the walls, snorts and exhalations seemingly far too loud to come from the tiny gnome's body. Despite the noise, everyone awakes the following morning refreshed and prepared for the coming day.

OOC - Feel free to expand on any actions you would like to take during the evening. By my calculations, everyone's spells are recharged and everyone is at full hit points, except for Gregor who is now at 5 hp. Other than that, it's up to everyone where you would like to go next!

*Thanee*
“Great, I knew you would make it!” Alexi had shouted enthusiastically, as Gregor came out of the elevator shaft.

When the group then left the cairn for a well-deserved rest, she said: “We've been in there quite some time, but exploring the whole place will take days. And we really need the rest now, especially Gregor who has been through quite a bit today. Brave Gregor!”

“Where should we start tomorrow? Go back down that broken shaft? Is there anything down there? Or rather try one of the others... the next one?”​
*Azten*
Azten makes his preferences known as he makes the rounds tending to everyone's wounds - Today has been a real 'eye-opening' experience for me. I will meditate further on it to be sure it is Moradin's will, but I believe I am meant to continue exploring, even if it means neglecting my duties at the mines. 
He proceeds to describe the dour, disapproving statues in the area, and suggests that the group continue to focus their efforts there. 

Azten also requests to see the statuettes and other trinkets the party has found to see if they hold any clues about the architects and builders of the tomb complex.

Later that night while he's sound asleep on the floor ("No, really - I prefer to sleep on the floor") he is granted something of a vision - himself with the group, exploring the tomb, while a sensation of warm approval and protection fills him as the scene fades. 

Then, a strong feeling, rather than a vision. He feels that it might be important for him to learn more about the architects, and to that end Moradin has granted him a limited prayer to comprehend any writings they should come across, as well as a few things that may help him or his companions. 

Lastly, Azten receives a gentle admonition that he can always petition Moradin to grant healing in exchange for one of the other prayers bestowed for that day.

When the morning arrives, the other party members find Azten sitting meditatively in the corner. Rousing him, he is refreshed and ready to face the challenges of the day.

OOC: Prayers granted: Magic Stone, Magic Weapon, Comprehend languages, Detect Magic, Guidance, Resistance.
And what of the various things the party has found? Wasn't someone else going to check them for magic or something? edit: See OOC thread​
*silentspace*
"Well Gregor, I figure the taskmasters won't let us back in the mines again, but maybe we'll find enough treasure we can retire forever, eh?"

"Yes, let's keep going. But until Gregor's all rested up, I'm taking point, ok? Azten could stand behind me... Maybe we can get Gregor some javelins to throw from a distance, what do you say Gregor? I've got a few javelins..."

"Anyway let's get prepared some more. Maybe we can get some knotted rope and drive some pitons in the ground to get up and down the crashed elevator shaft. Sounds like we could do with some more oil too, that was pretty useful!"

It's clear Majakilar can barely contain his excitement at the prospect of more exploration!

"Say, is there a way past that mold down the first elevator?"​
*Mista Collins*
"Good job, big man!" Owen says as he slaps Gregor on the back. Noticing the wince, Owen apologies. "Sorry 'bout that."

Once back at the abandoned office, Owen calculates what they will need for tomorrow. "I think we could use some of the following items. We could use some knotted rope, or knot what we have here, but we might need more length as those.... elevator shafts?..... are deeper than I expected and I don’t want to risk anyone falling or having to climb again. We could use a few torches also, as they would have been useful against those beetles. Speaking of the beetles, I could use some more oil because I don't have anymore. Well, I have what is left in my lantern, which isn’t much. Some sort of salves or liquids that would help with our fatigue and wounds would be a nice addition to the wonderful skills of Azten." Just as he appears to have his list finished, Owen is reminded of the mold. "YES!! We need something cold." He looks to Kenneth with a questioning eyes. "You said cold things will get rid of the mold, correct? Yes?! Then something cold it is!" He can't stop smiling and appears extremely excited on exploring more of what the experienced today.

..........."any suggestions on something cold?"​
Gregor finds it difficult to stay still at Azten's urgings. The giant feels the need for movement, to swing a pick or walk around the cramped quarters of the abandoned office, but Azten refuses to allow him to indulge in such nonsense and it's not the first time Azten is forced to do so. Despite being half Gregor's size, Gregor finds himself pushed back into the cot at the barest touch of Azten's hand.

"You've always known what's been best," he reluctantly grumbles, though with a thankful smile.

When Kenneth returns from his foray into the surrounding woods, Owen questions him about the mold and how they might be able to bypass it. Kenneth just smiles knowingly.

"There's nothing we can do about it tomorrow," he says. "But after taking a look around I made a quick trip into town to visit Allustan. We're good friends, been so for years. He'll have a spell ready for us tomorrow night!"

He unslings his pack and opens it for Owen to see. "And to show you just how much I am usually prepared, I brought you some torches, another length of rope, and a couple flasks of lamp oil."

He also pulls out two thick blankets. "I brought these, too, for the cold night. Don't want anyone getting frostbite. Not like Thragar the orc of Kresh who thought he could sleep through a snowstorm by hiding in a cave...."

* * *​
The following morning the group finds themselves standing on the edge of the collapsed shaft, staring down to the chamber below illuminated by the green lantern. Gregor tosses the end of the tied rope over the edge, gripping it in both hands and steadying his feet against a small, uplift crack in the stone floor. There is nothing to tie the rope to, so the giant man has offered to be the anchor as the others climb down.

Kenneth, excited to explore below, jumps forward. "Anything else we should prepare for?" he asks.

OOC- The consensus seemed to be to either explore the mold encrusted hall or the collapsed shaft. Since the mold cannot be bypassed, yet, I went ahead and placed everyone at the shaft. If anyone would rather start somewhere else, or do anything else in preparation, feel free to let me know! 

*Voadam*
"I'll hold the rope till everyone is down. The climb is not too bad for me so Ill go down last." Gregor braces himself and offers an encouraging smile.​
*Mista Collins*
Grabbing a hold of the rope for support, Owen looks at Gregor. "You are a good man, Gregor."

Owen slowly descends to the bottom of the shaft. Once his feet are firmly planted on solid ground he takes his lantern out and lights it to illuminate the area.​
*Azten*
Azten pauses for a second at the top of the rope and gives Gregor a questioning look. 

When he sees Gregor nod slightly with a half grin, Azten gives the briefest of nods in return, mutters a prayer to Moradin to watch over fools, and descends the rope into the deep shaft - hopefully with less painful results this time.​
*Voadam*
Solidly braced, Gregor easily holds the line steady as the others descend. "We got the eye spider so it should be fine down there now."​
*silentspace*
Majakilar will insist to go down the rope first. He'll tie it around himself and go down holding his weapon ready (or as ready as he can be, dangling in the air like that).​
*Thanee*
“We got the eye spider? What is the eye spider and how does it protect us when climbing down?” Alexi asks Gregor curiously.​


----------



## hbarsquared (May 22, 2006)

*Chapter Three, Page 9*

OOC - "We got the eye spider." "How will it protect us?" 

"Who's on first?" "Yes." 

Majakilar lands in the rubble at the bottom of the shaft, torch raised to illuminate the damaged surroundings. As the others climb down the shaft, steadied by the rope, the chamber remains quiet and no hidden surprises attack from the shadows. Gregor climbs down last, easily finding the acid-burned handholds in the rock.

The four-way intersection at the edge of their light beckons the group forward. Cautiously, everyone walks forward and gradually become aware of a soft buzzing sound. When they reach the intersection, everyon glances down the branching hallways to the chambers beyond.

To their right, the see the walls of the chamber taper in somewhat, and in the nook of the far wall rests a wide stone basin backed by a five foot tall shelf. A hardened orange paste spills out over the two foot basin lip and covers much of the shelf. Thousands of tiny beetles with bright blue carapaces skitter and tunnel through the chalky substance. A keening insect chorus fills the room. Recognizing the insects from the swarm he, Owen, and Alexi defeated above, Kenneth takes small steps back and looks into the other chamber.

Eight man-sized stone slabls, about four feet off the ground, are arranged in two rows in this large room. A long-dead corpse, possibly human, lays sprawled out upon one of these slabs, his red leather armor the only hint of color in the otherwise drab room. Like the other chamber, the walls taper in somewhat, and the short far wall abuts a small stage. The red clay statue of a powerfully built warrior wielding a cylinder-headed greatclub stands tall upon the stage, its eyes surveying the room.

Stumbling about between the sleeping slabs is a giant beetle, its iridescent blue carapace reflecting the light of their torch and lamp.

Further down the hall a flight of stairs descends into a large chamber at the limit of their light sources.

*silentspace*
OOC: Gregor meant we killed (got) the eye spider  

"Curses! Everyone back behind the intersection, behind me. Let them come to us," Majakilar says, readying an attack against the first creature that comes within range. "You guys said the oil worked pretty well on the last swarm, huh? Might be a good time to use some now!"​
*Mista Collins*
"Beat them back with your torch if possible! Or hand it to me!" Stepping right behind Majakilar, Owen waits for them to approach, just as he was told.​
*Azten*
Since the others appear to have the beetle swarm well watched, Azten is more concerned about the single large beetle and the ?dead? guy on the slab. Unless the group really seems to be needing him, he keeps an eye out for an attack coming from the room to the left.​
*Voadam*
Previously to Alexi . . . "It was another eye thing with a bunch of legs including some big slicing ones. While the bugs went up it came down and attacked Majak, Atzen, and me. We got it so it won't be coming after us again. You should be able to see it's body in the rubble at the bottom of the shaft. I don't know if the bald people in the statues have anything to do with these eye things but that is the second one we've seen in here." . . .

Upon hearing what the others see in the chambers Gregor readies his metal club and tabletop shield in case the big beetle comes out looking for people to eat. "Are either of them coming after us?"​
*Thanee*
“Ohh... we got the eye spider. Now I got it... wait, what's that sound!? Oh, no, not those again... anyone got some oil handy? Oil! Quick!”​
The adventurers retreat several feet back from the intersection with weapons readied, prepared for an onslaught of beetles from either of the two rooms. As they breathe heavily and their eyes dart around the hall, the keening of insects does not grow and nothing attacks. Kenneth loosens his grip on the flask of oil in his hand and cautiously peers around Gregor's massive legs. The intersection remains empty.

"Well," he says, "It looks like they didn't notice us. Anyone want to take a look in either of the rooms? Or should we keep going?"

*Voadam*
"I think if the bugs don't bother us we should not bother them."​
*Thanee*
“Now that's something I can agree with. But just in case we should have a plan on how to deal with them...”​
*Mista Collins*
"How to deal with them? Oil and fire sounds good to me!" Owen looks down each corridor. "I'd like to know what is in each room, but I'm not sure if I want to deal with them. But I don't want to leave potential danger behind us."​
*Azten*
I must say I too am reluctant to leave danger unfettered behind us. Ahh, if only I had my mother's talent for stone shaping, I would just seal them in their respective chambers.

Perhaps if anyone has a bell and some string we could rig up a simple alarm to let us know if the big beetle comes out of the room. But then again, that would not work for the swarm.

Hmm.​
*Voadam*
Gregor looks over at his friends concern and hefts his mace. "I'll go past them, if neither reacts I think we can safely ignore them, a predator the size of the beetle probably would come after me if it were hungry, so if it ignores me I think we can all get by." Gregor then moves down the corridor, ready with his mace if the big bug comes after him.​
*Azten*
Azten readies his hammer and shield so that if any of the beetles decide to risk it's life by attacking Gregor or another of the party, he can do his part to make that life as short as possible.​
*silentspace*
"Eh, I hate bugs!" Majakilar shivers. "Hold up Gregor, let me go first. Maybe I'll get a shot in if it approaches," Majakilar says as he moves forward past the intersection.​
The party cautiously steps through the wide intersection with weapons and flasks of oil at the ready. Light from Owen's lamp and the torch dance across both neighboring cambers, causing the swarms of beetles in the one to surge back and forth and completely ignored by the single large beetle in the other. None approach their light sources as they pass and within a few moments the threat has been left behind.

Kenneth takes one last peek before the rest continue down the hall.

"Why, they're bombardier beetles," he says with sudden realization, hurrying to catch up with the rest. "The little ones and the big one, they're poisonous. When attacked, the giant beetles release an acidic vapor."

He turns to Alexi and Owen. "And remember that sludge from the swarm? That was acid, too, that the vermin release from their underbelly. We were lucky not to get overrun by them, yesterday."

OOC - Kenneth's bardic knowledge check, +4: rolled 22, success.
They passed two alcoves on either side of the hall on their way to the stairs that descend into a much larger chamber. numerous pegs extended from the walls of the alcoves, all empty.

At the top of the stairs, Owen's lamp reflects from the surface of a dark pool, completely submerging the lower chambers in water and lapping gently at the stairs five feet down. Rising from the waters are four pillars and a central structure that reach to the ceiling, composed of tan stone and containing a series of strange fixtures about eight feet off the ground.

Kenneth wraps his arms around himself, as if to keep from getting wet. "I'm not taking my shoes off this time," he says emphatically.

*silentspace*
"That's interesting," Majakilar says. "They're not attacking, as if they are set there to guard something. Can vermin be trained like that? Like guard dogs?"

"Wow Kenneth, you really know a lot!"

Majakilar begins poking around in the water with his guisearme.​
*Azten*
Acid? Ugh.

Azten grimaces and absently wipes at his armor as though removing the corrosive fluid.

I have never heard of anyone training them like dogs, but all the same, something is keeping their interest in the room. 

I wonder what they eat? He pauses for a moment, then with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, offers: Humans?

Later, with the rest of the party at the stairs - Majakilar, how deep is the water? Because I would rather not swim either.

OOC: So, If the water is five feet down from the steps, and the fixtures/structure are eight feet off the floor, how far out of the water is the structure?  Or, conversely, how deep is the water? 
Or am I totally misreading the description...​
*Voadam*
Gregor looks at the water dubiously. "I guess I could carry you across one by one so only I get wet. How cold is it Majak?."​
*Azten*
Heh. The cold or wet does not bother me so much as the having to breathe water. I never have gotten the hang of that, and since I swim like a rock...​
*Mista Collins*
Owen starts laughing at Azten's comment. "You don't breathe water, silly! You hold your breath in the water. That might be why you have never gotten the hang of it."​
*Voadam*
"Can you verify how deep it is by poking with your polearm and make sure nothing is waiting to bite me while I carry everybody else?"​
*Thanee*
“Yesterday the bugs appeared to have quite an appetite for us at least. I hope they stay where they are.”

Alexi looks around for a few pieces of rock or anything similar to throw into the room and into the water, to see if something gets stirred up maybe.​
Holding his guisarme near the head, Majakilar kneels at the water's edge and lowers it into the murky and cold water. The tip prods the next few stairs and the torch he holds allows him to estimate the depth of the pool. The stairs continue down to meet with the floor about five feet below the surface. A short wall rises slightly above the water a few feet in front of the stairs.

The water, although dirty, is clear enough to see to the bottom and does not seem dangerous. Gentle ripples emanate from the submerged guisarme, but Majakilar sees no aberrations swimming or rising to meet them.

OOC - Okay, I will assume in my next post that Gregor will carry over the rest of the party one at a time. Just two questions: who wants to go first, and in which direction will you go?

*Azten*
I will stay back here at the top of the stairs to watch for the beetles. Since I have better vision in the dark, and all.​
*Voadam*
Gregor strips off his gear and almost all of his clothes, (blushing a little when he looks up at Alexi) and then picks up Majak. "I think that center structure looks like a good first destination to check out." With that he starts descending to the water. With a deep breath to prepare himself for a shock in case the water is cold, he then steps down one step at a time.​
*silentspace*
"Wait a minute Gregor, you think a little water's gonna deter me? I'll walk too. I'll probably be able to use my guisearme better that way. We'll both get wet. It still beats the mines any day!"

Assuming Gregor picks up someone else, Majakilar will wade in the water ahead of them.​
*Voadam*
"All right then, next. Ready Alexi." Gregor scoops her up and is careful to keep her out of the water as he enters it himself.​


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## hbarsquared (May 23, 2006)

*Chapter Three, Page 10*

Azten stands guard at the top of the stairs, his eyes scanning the hall for any intrusion by the bombardier beetles. Gregor offers to hoist Majakilar onto his shoulders, but Majakilar declines, instead taking the torch and prepares to enter the water first. Gregor lifts Alexi onto his shoulders and the two miners enter the dark water.

The water is cold and dirty from the uncountable number of years that it has remained stagnant. Kennth and Owen wait on the stairs at the water's edge as they watch Majakilar's torch waver and the flicker of its reflection off the water's surface. The large chamber is eerily silent except for the sound of lapping waves from Gregor and Majakilar's movement, their small splashes echoing and magnified.

They wade around the sort barrier and pass one of the pillars. Glancing at the fixtures attached to the pillar a few feet above the surface, Majakilar notices that they resemble nozzles protruding from the stone. His feet drag through a thick sludge and although he cannot see through the murky water, Majakilar feels a grill beneath his feet, a clogged drain.

The water begins to swirl around them, like a large undersea creature was swimming in circles around the two.

Majakilar raises his torch above the water, searching its depths as the current pushes him back and forth, threatening his balance. He catches a glimpse of two dark patches in the murk, coelesced from the debris, in the shape of two narrowed eyes a moment before the water wells up in front of him. A wave of dirty water crashes into Majakilar, dousing the torch with a loud hiss and plunging him, Gregor, and Alexi into darknesss.

The currents begin to grow stronger, spinning around them in a tightening vortex.

OOC -
Surprise Round
Water elemental's initiative, +1: rolled 17.

17 - Water elemental: Douses torch.

Round 1
Azten's initiative +1: rolled 2 (runoff with Gregor: rolled 9).
Alexi's initiative +2: rolled 18.
Owen's initiative +3: rolled 6.
Kenneth's initiative +2: rolled 6.
Majakilar's initiative +2: rolled 22.
Gregor's initiative +1: rolled 2 (runoff with Azten: rolled 10).
Order of Initiative:

22 - Majakilar
18 - Alexi
17 - Water elemental
6 - Owen
6 - Kenneth
2 - Gregor
2 - Azten

*Thanee*
“Great, just great. Does anyone have any light?”

Alexi jumps down into the water to free up Gregor's arms, and to get away from the spinning water, which likely won't do them any good.​
*silentspace*
"What the heck was that?" Majakilar yells, backpedalling and trying to get back out of the water.​
*Voadam*
"Back! Back! There is something in the water here! Majak and Alexi, back up the stairs! This way Majak." Gregor will try and bring the others back, his low light vision should be enough to see from the light of the party still on dry land.​
*Azten*
Alerted by the yells of his compatriots, Azten pulls his warhammer out and turns towards the water to see if he can see what is causing the commotion.

OOC: Darkvision 60', Spot +3, Search +2​
*silentspace*
"You know Kenneth, if we get out of here alive, you're going to have to make some songs about this stuff! I've only heard songs about bandits and orcs and goblins. Eye creatures and eyes floating in the water? Not so much!" Majakilar yells out as bumps into Gregor behind him and feels his friend grab him by the collar and start dragging him back.​
*Mista Collins*
Hearing the yells of the group Owen grows concerned. "What is going on over there?! You guys alright?!"​
As the torch is extinguished, the waters erupt into frothy chaos, illuminated only by Owen's lamp at the staircase. Waves begin to race back and forth within the chamber, splashing against the low wall and pillars surrounding them on all sides. In the dim light, reflected like a million twinking stars in the crests of the water's surface, Alexi and Majakilar wade through the water in a vain attempt to escape the creature of swirling water. Something beneath the surface pummels Gregor for a moment before a small amount of it seems to coalesce into a dark, missile-like shape and darts at full speed at the retreating adventurers.

Owen fumbles with the lamp, holding it high with a shaking hand to help the others see their way back. Kenneth pulls his crossbow from the belt at his side.

"Do not fear!" Kenneth says in a loud, strong, voice. "The great hero Bronin once battled the elements themselves and succeeded! We can do the same!"

OOC -
Round 1

22 - Majakilar: Withdrew back toward stairs.
18 - Alexi: Jumped into water. Withdrew toward stairs.
17 - Water elemental: Attacked Gregor, against AC 10 (flat-footed, no armor): miss. Followed Alexi.
6 - Owen: Shined light.
6 - Kenneth: Drew crossbow. Started inspire courage (+1 on attack and damage).
2 - Gregor: Moved toward stairs, grabbing Majakilar and Alexi, provoked an attack of opportunity from water elemental. Water elemental attacked, against AC 11: miss.
2 - Azten: Looked.

*Thanee*
“But first let us get out of the water. Whatever this is, hopefully it won't follow us on land.”​
*silentspace*
"Aye, let's get out of the water! Keep singing Kenneth, maybe we can learn something from this Bronin!"​
*Azten*
I know these things can be defeated in combat, but maybe there is another way. Has anyone seen any sort of valve mechanism? Perhaps this pool can be drained, elemental and all.​
Alexi glances over her shoulder as she slogs through the dirty water in Majakilar's wake. In that brief glance, she can see a dark shape rapidly approaching, a bullet just beneath the surface with two dark eyes. She turns the corner around the submerged wall as Majakilar lifts himself from the water and Alexi focuses all of her strength into getting to the stairs. She pulls herself from the water just as the water splashes across the steps, the elemental thrashing at its missed opportunity.

Beyond the wall, Gregor is still trying to move his bulk through the water. The elemental pauses for a moment at the bottom of the stairs and darts off again in a straight shot toward the large miner. As the rest of the company watches from the stairs, the water elemental leaps over the top of the mostly submerged half-wall, its liquid body clear and translucent in the lamplight, and slams directly into Gregor.

He stumbles but remains on his feet, as the elemental seems to disintegrate against him on impact. Gregor takes another slow step through the water.

Owen, yelling encouragement to Gregor, notices Kenneth remove a crossbow bolt from his pocket and begin loading his weapon. Owen raises an eyebrow. "What are you going to do? Shoot the water? What good is that?"

Kenneth shrugs as he pulls back the crank and the bolt lodges in place. "Brolin fought the elemental of water at the Lake of Crystal Dreams without the help of magic. He used his bare hands and wrestled it to the ground." Kenneth aims his crossbow at the patch of water quickly assembling behind Gregor. "A crossbow bolt should work."

Kenneth pulls the trigger. A froth of water suddenly erupts from the surface as the bolt penetrates the elemental. Kenneth turns to Owen with a surprised look and a lopsided grin. "Wow. It did work, he says.

Owen stares at Kenneth, mouth agape.

Gregor turns to see the elemental wounded by Kenneth's bolt, and he eyes the mace at his side. The water elemental quickly recovers. Gregor lifts his mace high and slams it against the water's surface just as the elemental comes within range. His arms jar with the impact, but the elemental dodged his blow, diving deeper under the surface. Caught off guard, Gregor feels the elemental slam into his backside with the force of a solid club. The elemental splits, flowing past him on both sides, and as he watches in the dim light it once again reassembles. Gregor turns back and hurries past the submerged wall to the safety of solid rock. He manages to reach the stairs, leaving the pursuing elemental behind, swirling in a tight vortex at the foor of the stairs.

As Alexi, Majakilar, and Gregor try to catch their breath, the water behind them begins to rise a few feet above the surface, forming a roughly humanoid shape of pure water separate from the murk. Two dark blue, angular eyes narrow in the are that must be the creature's head.

"Of course, Bronin didn't defeat the water elemental in the water," Kenneth says, rapidly reloading his crossbow, "He tried to escape, at first, leaving the lake behind. The water elemental followed."

The water elemental surged forward, up the stairs, onto the solid rock, and amidst the adventurers in a cyclone of froth and mist.

OOC -
Round 2

22 - Majakilar: Moved up stairs, left water.
18 - Alexi: Withdrew to stairs, left water.
17 - Water elemental: Moved back to Gregor. Attacked Gregor: miss.
6 - Owen: Shined light.
6 - Kenneth: Loaded crossbow. Continued inspire courage (+1 on attack and damage). Attacked water elemental, +4: rolled 20, hit, 7 damage. Water elemental at hp-7.
2 - Gregor: Attacked water elemental, +6: rolled 15, miss. Moved to stairs, provoking an attack of opportunity from water elemental. Water elemental attacked: hit, 3 damage. Gregor at 9 hp. Left water.
2 - Azten: Offered advice.

*Azten*
If Azten finds himself in position to make an attack when the elemental surges up the stairs, he'll do so. Otherwise he will heal if needed.

OOC: Attack with warhammer: 1D8/ X3, or Cure Light as needed.​
*silentspace*
"Smart fellow, that Bronin! Get out of the water first! Got it," Majakilar says, grinning.

Drawing a javelin, he throws it into the water, aiming for the eyes

ooc: +2 javelin (1d6+2)​
*Mista Collins*
"Well if your bolt worked, then my daggers might also!" Owen says as he holds his lantern in his left hand, drawing his dagger with his right and throwing it at the elemental.​
*Thanee*
Left with no other choice, Alexi pulls out her crossbow and loads it with a bolt.

“So this is some sort of freakish creature made out of water!?”​
*Voadam*
Gregor smashes the water thing again, bringing his mace down sharply as the creature comes up the stairs after him.​
OOC - This was silly of me. I haven't had the chance to really sit down and roll up the attacks and such for the rest of the encounter, so I've delayed until today. Turns out I didn't need that much time after all...
Majakilar turns on the slick stairs, struggling to keep his balance, and draws one of his javelins. The water elemental flows up the stairs, two dark eyes focusing on Owen immediately and the lantern he is carrying. The swirling spray soaking everyone on the stairs condenses for a moment around the humanoid figure of the elemental. One of its arms thickens and prepares to barrel into Owen like a battering ram.

Majakilar launches his javelin, aiming straight for the creature's eyes. The javelin hits its mark, slowing as it penetrates through the water elemental to land in the dark water in the chamber beyond with a small splash. A loose hole remains between the eyes of the water elemental for a brief moment, which quickly fade as the figure collapses as an inanimate pool of water to cascade down the stairs and back into the murky water.

Kenneth lowers his crossbow. "Not quite how Bronin did it, but it seems to have worked just as well."

OOC -
Round 3

22 - Majakilar: Readied action to attack water elemental.
18 - Alexi: Readied action to attack water elemental.
17 - Water elemental: Moved onto stairs, triggered readied actions. Majakilar attacked water elemental, +3 (+2, +1 inspire courage): rolled 18, hit, 6 damage. Water elemental at hp-13, dying. Water elemental defeated.

The others lower the weapons as well when no other creature's, of pulsating eyes or of pure water, appear. Azten takes one last glance down the hall to see that the beetles in the previous chambers seem to not been disturbed and examines Gregor's rapidly blossoming bruise on his back. Gregor waves him away.

"So," Kenneth speaks up, "Who wants to go down this time?"

OOC - If anyone would like to continue to explore the flooded chamber, go ahead and post your character entering the chamber and what part they might want to take a look at. If you'd rather not, post where you character would like to go next, instead.

*Azten*
Well. Hmm. 
Even accounting for Majakilar's excellent aim, that was easier than I expected. 

too easy...


In further discussion, Azten would prefer to stay on the dry steps and guard against a beetle incursion and also make sure the only known exit from the room stays open.​
*silentspace*
Majakilar breathes a sigh of relief when the javelin stops the water creature, apparently for good.

"Aye Azten, the last blow always seems like the easy one! Anyway, seeing as I'm already wet, I'll go in again. Anyone want to hold a torch for me? What do you say Gregor?"​
*Voadam*
Gregor nods and rubs his thigh where the water smashed into him like a hammer "Hopefully it was just one of them in there. As you say, we are already wet so lets make sure it is clear then I'll start ferrying everybody." And so Gregor once again enters the water, mace at the ready this time.​
*Thanee*
“Well, there's still a lot of water left, so let's just hope it remains calm this time,” says Alexi, then she follows Gregor's advice and steps back into the water, to wade over to the other side, her crossbow held ready, just in case. “There seems to be a lot of weird things down here, I wonder what else we will see...”​
*Azten*
As the party splits itself in half again to wade through the water, Azten re-thinks his decision to stay at the door. What am I worried about? The beetles have been quite docile so far. So long as there is not a sliding door to seal this room off if the water starts to rise, it should be safe to leave and help explore the area.

Besides, I do not want to miss any new wonders...

OOC: Search door / top of the stairs area for any mechanism that might seal this room off. Search +2, additional +2 if it involves stonework.
If nothing is found, then join the rest of the party investigating the platform, assuming someone will offer to transport him.​
*Mista Collins*
"I have no objections to getting wet. Heck, we are underground and are adventurers!" with a smile to Kenneth Owen continues. "And I'm sure all the heroes you mention have had to get wet or dirty many times."

And with that Owen steps into the water and starts wading along with the rest of the group with his lantern in one hand and his dagger in the other. "I'll take care of the light source for now"​


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## hbarsquared (May 23, 2006)

*Chapter Three, Part 11*


Azten runs his fingers along the wet walls and finds no stone doors that might crash down, no hidden weapons that might be sprung.  The faded sound of chittering beetes at the intersection further down the hall remains unnerving, but has also not increased.  The hall seems safe.

Gregor heaves Azten on his shoulders with his giant arms, and Majakilar does the same with Kenneth.  The two miners enter the water first, the surface reaching their upper chests, and Alexi and Owen then follow, the water up to their necks.  Owen holds his lantern high above his head and above the surface, its dancing light reflecting off the dull tan walls of the chamber.

They wade around the walls and the central pillar, stumbling here and there over clogged drains beneath their feet.  Two smaller rooms extend on either side of the chamber, and a narrow, sodden wooden door is recessed in the opposite wall.  The explorers enter one of the rooms through an archway to find it containing four long, submerged benches and several niches along the walls.

Floating upon the surface is a bloated human body wearing red masterwork leather armor with an unrecognizable insignia over the left breast.  A short sword hangs in a molding scabbard on its belt, pointing downward and scrapping against the stone benches.

Gregor and Majakilar approach cautiously with Azten and Kenneth.  The armor has been torn apart and ruined as if by sharp claws, revealing skin that has been stripped away.  The corpse's bones are visible underneath, and have tiny gauges, as if very badly gnawed.

Azten points to the insignia upon the armor.  "Do you recognize that, Kenneth?"

Kenneth shakes his head.  "I don't.  Could be anything from a mercenary group to an underground cult."

Ploughing through the water back into the chamber, Gregor approaches the sodden door.  Grasping the knob, he forces the door open.  It deteriates at the sudden movement, and fragments of decaying wood float to the surface.

Beyond is the recognizable stone seat with a hole in its center.

*OOC -* And that should bring us up to date!  Where would everyone like to go from here?​


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## Voadam (May 24, 2006)

Seeing nothing of real interest in here Gregor maneuvers over to the last unexplored room, Atzen riding on his shoulders.


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## Mista Collins (May 24, 2006)

Interested in the body, Owen pulls the short sword from the scabbard and checks the quality of the blade. "I don't think he will be needing this any longer, seems like it didn't help him to begin with."


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## hbarsquared (Jun 5, 2006)

Owen examines the make of the sword in the firelight from his lamp before handing it over to Majakilar.  Alexi has followed Azten and Gregor into the main chamber, and after taking one last glance around the flooded sideroom, Majakilar, Kenneth and Owen follow.

Owen's lamp and Gregor's torch light the final, small room on the opposite side of the chamber, the adventurers dismissing the second lavatory they have seen in as many days.  The room looks much the same, with submerged stone benches and several niches lining the walls.

But in one corner, they can see a distrubance in the water, a humanoid form beneath the surface that has noticed their approach and is now moving toward Gregor and Azten.


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## Thanee (Jun 5, 2006)

*Alexi*

Alexi points towards the disturbance. _“Have you seen that? There is something... someone... in the water!”_

Then she raises her crossbow and loads it with a new bolt.


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## Voadam (Jun 8, 2006)

"*Here it comes*!" Gregor backs up a little holding his torch up high with one hand so that the others can see.


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## Mista Collins (Jun 9, 2006)

"Not again!" Owen shouts as he draws his dagger with his free hand, still shining the lantern for his companions.


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## Voadam (Jun 15, 2006)

With his other hand Gregor readies his makeshift mace in case the body leaps at him.


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## hbarsquared (Jun 30, 2006)

Gregor tries to steady his feet as he keeps the burning torch aloft and readies his mace, Azten holding on tightly as the form approaches.

From the water erupts an emaciated form that looks to have once been human.  Sharp teeth fills it open mouth and sharp claws tip the ends of its fingers.  Reflexively, Alexi launches her crossbow bolt which lodges in the creature's shoulder.  Kenneth shouts out something that the others cannot make out, and frantically points at the creauture, unfazed by the bolt sticking out of its hide, as it latches onto Gregor.

Gregor desperately tries to fend off the creature with his mace.  The creature digs its claws into Gregor's arm and the giant miner panics as he feels his arm begin to stiffen.  He shifts his weight and avoids the swip of its other hand as well as its fanged maw that searches for his neck.  A moment passes and feeling returns to his arm.


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## Thanee (Jun 30, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“What an ugly thing you are!”_ Alexi shouts, as she prepares another bolt to shoot at the strange humanoid.


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## Mista Collins (Jul 1, 2006)

Still holding the lantern in one hand, Owen throws his dagger at the ugly thing.


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## Voadam (Jul 3, 2006)

"*Ah! Keep back, its claws are poisonous*." Gregor smashes the creature with his metal club trying to keep it focused away from his friends.


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## Azten (Oct 18, 2006)

Balanced precariously as he is on Gregor's back,  Azten takes his holy symbol/hammer and strikes at the creature if it comes close enough.

By the AllFather! Get away from us, you foul  ...    At a momentary loss for appropriately descriptive words, Azten's exclamation fades into nothing.


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## Voadam (Oct 20, 2006)

"*Keep backing up! Out of the water*!" Gregor smashes again with his mace, attempting to smash the part of the thing exposed above the water. The young man then attempts to take another step back up out of the water without dropping Azten or his torch.


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## silentspace (Oct 21, 2006)

*"YES, EVERYONE BACK UP NOW!"* Majakilar shouts, as he shivers in fear, his teeth clattering uncontrollable in the cold water.  *"And use the columns for cover!  Freakin' dead poisonous swimming... whatever the heck."*

Majakilar will try to grab and pull the others behind him, preparing his glaive for the ghoul's approach.  He'll only start retreating himself when its just him and Gregor on the front line.

_ooc: using dodge on the ghoul thingy, bringing ac to 19._


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## Branding Opportunity (Oct 22, 2006)

*Death and Undeath*

Balanced precariously as he is on Gregor's back, Azten takes his holy symbol/hammer and prepares to strike at the creature if it comes close enough.  "By the AllFather! Get away from us, you foul ..." At a momentary loss for appropriately descriptive words, Azten's exclamation fades into nothing.  (_OOC: Readying attack_)

Still holding the lantern in one hand, Owen throws his dagger at the ugly thing.  With incredible accuracy, or luck dending on how one looks at it, the thrown weapon buries itself in the skull of the undead monstrosity.  Making a sound like an overripe catelope being split open, the skull opens down the middle, nearly bifurcating the head in twain.  With little fanfare the creature falls forward, splashing Gregor, Azten, and Owen with cold water.  It's not moving any more. (_OOC: 13 + 2 = 15, hit!  Damage 1d4+1 = 5_)


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## Thanee (Oct 22, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“What a creepy place. I wonder what else is down here?”_ Alexi muses, as she takes a look around.


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## hbarsquared (Oct 22, 2006)

*Kenneth*

As the water begins to churn Kenneth desperately fumbles for his crossbow as Majakilar helps to wrestle the others out of the way.  Before he can act, Majakilar's shoulders shift beneath him and Kenneth tumbles backward into the dark water.

He rises to the surface, spluttering and waving his arms, just in time to see the miraculous throw by Owen and the twice-dead corpse collapse.  Kenneth reaches out an arm to grab a hold of Majakilar's armor and manages to keep his head above water.  His eyes narrow as they focus on the ghoul.

"Let's take a look," Kenneth suggests.


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## Mista Collins (Oct 23, 2006)

Retrieving his dagger and drying it off in order to prevent any rust, Owen agrees with the others. "I agree we should continue our search down down here."


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## Azten (Oct 23, 2006)

Examining Gregor's wounds, Azten cautions the party - "We need to stick together.  Gregor was lucky he's so strong, that ghoul's venom might have paralysed him otherwise.
And, if one of them should surprise one of us alone, the rest might never hear a thing."  <shudder>

If anyone has a wound that they feel should be healed, Azten will provide, otherwise he assists in the searching.


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## Voadam (Oct 23, 2006)

"*It's a small scratch. Let's keep looking around*."


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## Branding Opportunity (Oct 23, 2006)

*Symbols in the dark*

Before continuing their exploration, the group decides to have a bit of a closer look at the undead creature which attacked them for no reason.  It now floats face-down a few feet in front of Gregor, its limbs hanging loosely by its side.  With dark-grey, mottled skin and long, wiry fingers ending in sharp claws, it definitely seems to have been human at one point.  Any clothes it may have worn in life have long-ago disintegrated in the stagnant water.  The only thing it is wearing is a tarnished ring on the third finger of its left hand.

The flooded room from which it emerged seems to have been an identical counterpart to the one on the far side of this chamber.  It is a small room, containing four long, stone benches and severel niches recessed along the walls.  As in the rest of this part of the cairn, the walls are thick with molds and other growths, feeding on the freely-available moisture.

(OOC: For a map of this level, please refer to the [INFO] thread.)


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## Voadam (Oct 23, 2006)

Though the big youth tries to shrug off the claw attack as just a small scratch, it is bleeding heavily and looks deep.


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## Azten (Oct 23, 2006)

"Nonsense. What if you have a piece of it's filthy nails embedded in that gash?  Be still a moment and let me heal it."

Azten utters a brief prayer to Moradin to heal Gregor, then another in thanks afterwards.

_OOC:  Cure Light W. (d8+2) on Gregor - Azten'll give up his memorized Comprehend Languages slot for it.​_


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## Voadam (Oct 23, 2006)

"*Thanks Azten*" Gregor looks thankful, and a little sheepish.


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## Branding Opportunity (Oct 23, 2006)

Azten said:
			
		

> _OOC:  Cure Light W. (d8+2) on Gregor - Azten'll give up his memorized Comprehend Languages slot for it.​_



_OOC: Gregor regains all of his hp._


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## silentspace (Oct 24, 2006)

*"Sorry for dumping you Kenneth,"* Majakilar says. *"If there's much more of this water maybe we can jury-rig together some sort of harness for you. This water could be pretty dangerous."*

*"And nice toss Owen, that thing was truly horrid. I think.... I don't really like undead," * Majakilar says, uncertainly.  *"I mean wolves are ok.  Even wierd eye thingies.  But dead creatures should stay dead! Or be raised or something, but not be undead..."*

*"I wonder if there's another tomb nearby."*  He stares at the destroyed undead.  His face looking a little pale.   

*"Maybe someone should pocket that ring," * Majakilar says. He'll take it and examine it closer if no one else does, and hold onto it unless someone has a better idea.


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## Branding Opportunity (Oct 24, 2006)

*A familiar sign*

Majakilar wades through the chest-deep water to the floating corpse.  Still holding his weapon in both hands he pauses for a moment as he gets within arms reach.  He has been told too many stories where right when one thinks it is safe, the monster jumps up and tears your throat out.  After a few tense moments where nobody seems to breathe, the young man moves the guisarme to his left hand and tries to get the ring off the ghoul's finger.  Thankfully, the creature truly seems to be down for good.

Years of water-logging have bloated it quite a bit, so getting the ring off is a bit tricky.  After application of first, elbow grease and then when that fails, the sharp blade of his new short sword, Majakilar manages to get the ring off the finger.

Taking a look at it in Owen's lantern light, Majakilar sees that it is a ring made of white gold, bearing the same insignia as the red leather armor which was found on the opposite side of this chamber (_OOC: See image below_).  He estimates it to be worth about 100 gp (_OOC: Secret Appraise check_).

None of you are familiar with this symbol.


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## silentspace (Oct 24, 2006)

*"Azten, Kenneth, do you know why that creature would wear a ring like this?  I guess it was important to it in life, since it wasn't wearing anything else.  Maybe it's magic.  Maybe whoever wears it will turn into whatever that thing was... Either way, it looks like its worth something."

"I like the inscription though... To Seek and to Find..."*


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## Azten (Oct 24, 2006)

I would guess it denotes a member of some faction or elite group.  No idea who they might be. Or have been... Adventurers?  Tomb thieves?  
The motto would suggest something other than those strictly after treasure.  Historians? <heh>
Unlucky or inadequately prepared, in any case. <shrug>


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## Thanee (Oct 25, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“Or it means, that something is hidden beyond that sign, somewhere...”_ Alexi muses.


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## silentspace (Oct 26, 2006)

*"You know,  you're right.  Maybe we should hold on to this ring and that armor.  Maybe they will be useful down the road.  Or at least, until we discover what the symbols mean.  Plus we should test them for magical auras when we get back."*

After making sure the armor and ring are tucked away, Majakilar tosses the bloated finger he cut off to a far corner of the room.  Then turning to the corpse again, he pulls Owen's dagger from the creature's head, and swishes it around in the water, trying to clean it off a bit before returning the dagger to its owner.  He prods the corpse with his glaive, pushing the thing as far away from the party as possible.  He looks sort of pale during the whole process.  

Then after the party's done searching, Majakilar will take the lead again in exploring new rooms.  *"Keep right behind me Gregor, I'm good on defense so I'll be the shield.  But stay close, no one's better on offense than you!"*


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## Mista Collins (Oct 26, 2006)

"Just let me know if you see anything weird and want me to take a look." Owen continues along in the middle of the group.


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## hbarsquared (Oct 26, 2006)

*Kenneth*

"You know," Kenneth expounds, "There once was a wealthy landowner in the land of Alrinon who married two women at once, twins, though strangely of vastly different temperaments.  One was named _Seek_ and the other _Find_.  Find had actually become quite renowned as a mage, and thus had the apellative _to_, a common one for magic-users of the time."

Kenneth smiled broadly, tempoarily forgetting his location in an undergound dungeon, neck-high in centuries-old stagnant water with a corpse slowly drifting away.  "It's quite possible it is magical," he continues.  "_To Seek and t'Find_ is the proper way to read it, I'm sure.  But we should ask Allustan when we return, just in case."

Maintaining his tight grip on Majakilar, Kenneth follows the rest in their exploration.


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## Branding Opportunity (Oct 26, 2006)

The group wades through the stagnant water to the room the undead emerged from.  As you have already seen, it is a small chamber identical in construction to the one on the far side of the larger chamber.  It contains four long benches and several niches along the wall.  A quick search of these niches, both above and below the waterline produces a pile of tattered clothes and a leather pouch, cracked with age.  Unfolding the clothes reveals that they are quite old and out of style, but could have fit a well-off person of the earlier part of this century.  Carefully wrapped inside the brown tunic, you find a red lantern identical to the one hanging in the chambers above.  Picking up the pouch, you can hear the sweet tinkle of coins inside.  Opening the pouch they find 68 orbs, 4 plates, and 76 nobles.

You believe that you have now finished exploring the submerged section of the cairn.

(_OOC: Added post to [INFO] thread concerning Greyhawk coinage._)


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## silentspace (Oct 29, 2006)

Majakilar takes the pouch will wade his way out of the water.  *"By the gods, its good to get out of that water!"*

He shakes himself off best he can, smiling to himself. * "This adventuring stuff is pretty fun!  Dangerous and scary, but it sure beats working for the mine overseers!  Nothing beats the freedom of going your own way, and the company of good friends."*

*"So, what now? Should we take on the beetles?"*

ooc: added misc party loot at the end of my character sheet here


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## Mista Collins (Oct 30, 2006)

"How does everyone feel. We have been working fairly hard exploring down here?" Owen says once they are out of the water. "Besides being wet, I am ready to continue on. We should go and see what the red lantern will do."


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## Azten (Oct 31, 2006)

With a final muttered prayer to Moradin for the souls of the departed, Azten begins ridding himself of as much of the stagnant water as possible.
Hearing Owen mention the red lantern, Azten confesses to being rather curious about it's function as well.


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## Voadam (Oct 31, 2006)

Gregor nods. "*I think we should avoid the beetles and check out the rest*."


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 1, 2006)

After drying yourselves off a bit at the top of the stairs, you make your way back towards the collapsed entrance.

Arriving at the first intersection you peak around the left corner to find that the beetles are still quite busy collecting and eating the orange paste spilling out over the stone basin in that room.  There must be thousands of the tiny acid beetles scurrying about, creating a strange keening noise which echoes off the walls.  The single giant beetle moves among its smaller bretheren (children?).  None of them seem interested in or even aware of you at the moment.

To the right is a room of identical shape to the one on the left, except that instead of a basin on the far wall, it contains eight man-sized stone slabs reaching about four feet off the ground.  They are all empty except for one which contains an armored corpse of some kind.  A red statue stands upon a small stage on the far side of the room, holding up a large club.  That is all the detail you can make out at this distance.

(_Standing at the intersection, you are about 15 ft. from the entrances to each of the rooms._)


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## Thanee (Nov 2, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“Take on the beetles. Right. Any other great ideas like that?”_ Alexi frowns, these monster beetles were way too scary to _take on_.

_“We should rather see, that we don't get too close to them. Gladly they seem to be busy for now, so they do not think about eating us again!”_

When they enter the next room, Alexi asks: _“Sleeping room or crypt, what do you think?”_


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## Voadam (Nov 3, 2006)

Gregor nods in agreement with Alexi, "*You are right, we don't want to stir up a hornets nest for no good reason so we stay away from the bugs. Let's start with the sleeping room*."


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## silentspace (Nov 3, 2006)

*"Well, let's see if we can get out of this place then, as there's nowhere else to explore without any beetles.  Any idea if the elevator is still working?"*


ooc: there's a beetle in each room, see the ooc thread


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## Thanee (Nov 3, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“Uhh... Actually, I meant to ask what do you think this is, a sleeping room or a crypt?”_


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## Azten (Nov 3, 2006)

I would guess that whatever the original purpose of this room might have been, it has become a crypt.

And after the Ghouls, I am not sure I want to wake the sleeper if it is just sleeping...


With that, Azten takes a step towards the wrecked elevator, then turns to see if anyone is following him.


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## Voadam (Nov 3, 2006)

Gregor shakes the water from his eyes peers in more closely then looks embarrased. "*Oh, right*." The big youth will then shuttle everyone up the shaft on his back one by one.


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## Mista Collins (Nov 3, 2006)

"I appreciate the offer, kind Gregor, but no need to weigh you down as you try to climb."

Owen starts traversing the shaft on his own after Gregor makes a few trips.


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 4, 2006)

Passing by the corpse of the strange eye creature you make your way back to the rubble-strewn remains end of the corridor. After a bit of effort you climb up the collapsed elevator shaft to the star-shaped lantern room. The burnt husks of the acid beetles you killed earlier crunch underfoot. The chamber seems just as you left it, with colored lanterns hanging at the ends of nearly all of the radial passages.  The only exception is the passageway just to the left as one enters the room, which seems to missing its red lantern.  Only the green lantern is lit by the everburning torch you first found when you entered the cairn.

When you are quiet you can again here the whisper-like susurrations coming from the entrance corridor carried in on a light spring breeze.


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## Mista Collins (Nov 5, 2006)

"Let's hang that red lantern and see what happens if we turn the sarcophagus again."


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## Thanee (Nov 5, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“Yes, we should do that. Surely it will open up another way for us to explore! Hopefully without beetles...”_


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 6, 2006)

The distant sound of whispering continues in the background as you stand around deciding on what to do.  The light of the illuminated green lantern from the northward pointing corridor casts you in its dim radiance, giving all a sickly pallor.

Quite in contrast to the indestinct murmurings coming from the exit hallway, you realize that you can hear the faint echo of what can only be described as a child's laughter or snickering coming from somewhere nearby.


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## Voadam (Nov 6, 2006)

Gregor's first thought was that a kid had found his way into here and he should go make sure of the young one's safety. Then the hair rose on his hackles as the snickering sounded . . . off. It sent chills down Gregor's spine as he strained trying to pinpoint the sound.


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## Mista Collins (Nov 7, 2006)

Startled, Owen finds himself holding two daggers at the ready; looking in every direction wondering where the noise of the child is coming from.


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## Azten (Nov 7, 2006)

Azten hears the eerie laughter, but doesn't realize what he's hearing at first.  Then he looks around to see how the others are responding and ventures a hesitant  Hello? ...


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## hbarsquared (Nov 7, 2006)

*Kenneth*

After a quick _presitidigitation_ to dry off his clothes, Kenneth follows the others with a mournful look into the side chambers as they pass.  Rooms filled with adventure and renown, no doubt.  He scampers up the elevator shaft with the rest of the party.

Kenneth dismisses the strange sounds with a wave of his hand.  "Most likely nothing," he claims as he walks to the side chamber with the missing lantern.  "The wind just got caught in a series of twisting tunnels and echoed back onto itself.  It's nothing."

He glances up at the empty hook and points.  "Let's hang it back up, in its proper place, and see what happens."


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## Voadam (Nov 8, 2006)

"*We should make sure. It sounded like a child*."


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 9, 2006)

The child's snickering and giggling seems to be coming from the corridor with the blue lantern.  As you listen more closely you realize that it seems to be coming towards you.  This is no echo or trick of the wind.  This definitely sounds like the voice of a child, although it is strangely distorted, as if you were hearing it through a thick, woolen blanket.

At first you wonder if the child may be somehow hiding in the shadows.  As it gets closer, however, you realize that the source of the laughing is invisible.  it makes its way through the group, passing each of you in turn.  Everyone feels a deathly-cold breeze touch their cheek as it passes and finally seems to come to rest in the middle of the group.

The giggling stops and instead you hear a boy's voice speak, "You all are too funny, I must say.  You must be from a travelling group of minstrels!"


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## Azten (Nov 10, 2006)

When the manifestation passes him by and he feels the chill, Azten unconciously reaches for his holy hammer. When he hears the disembodied voice he asks Who are you?


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## Voadam (Nov 10, 2006)

Gregor feels the hair on the nape of his neck and even on his forearms raise as the chill passes by him. For now he just listens, a bit unnerved by the situation.


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## Thanee (Nov 10, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“Close enough,”_ Alexi says, trying to sound funny and not as anxious as she actually feels. _“Do you live here?”_


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 10, 2006)

Thanee said:
			
		

> _“Close enough,”_ Alexi says, trying to sound funny and not as anxious as she actually feels. _“Do you live here?”_



The voice continues becoming more petulant. "Oh, I don't live at all anymore. It is so boooring here! Do something funny again like you did with the bugs!"

"Why can't you do something funny?" he wines.

Azten, jeremy_dnd:[sblock]OOC: Both of you make successful Knowledge (religion) checks. I know it's obvious to the two of you, but you realize that this is a ghost, or similar incorporeal apparition.[/sblock]


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## Thanee (Nov 10, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“Oh,”_ Alexi says, being a little surprised, even though it should have been somewhat obvious, that a boy would not survive down here all alone. And invisible boys weren't overly common either.

_“Funny... sure... I guess... we will do some fun stuff again... Hey, have you seen everything down here already? Or is there something you havn't been to yet?”_


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 10, 2006)

The voice continues with a great sense of self-importance.  "Oh, I have seen many things, many, many, many things in here.  Things that no one else has ever, ever seen. But they are boring, boring, boring. Just like you are right now."

His manner suddenly changes, turning mischievously playful, "Hey, let's play a game, how about tag?"  Without warning a translucent hand the size of a child's with long fingernails appears out of nowhere and smacks Alexi in the forehead.  The hand instantly disappears and you all feel a great rushing of cold air as the voice of the young boy heads off down the corridor with the blue lantern, cackling to himself.


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## Mista Collins (Nov 11, 2006)

Seeing Alexi shocked by the slap, but completely alright, Owen holds back a snicker. "I've never heard of anything like this before."


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## Azten (Nov 12, 2006)

I am not sure that there is wisdom in playing children's games with ghosts, but it may be wise to not anger it. After all, it could have attacked us at any time, and has not so far.

Besides, being unsure just what 'tag' is, Azten looks around a bit confusedly and wonders '_if we do play, are we all supposed to hit Alexi on the head and run? Crazy human games._'


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## Thanee (Nov 12, 2006)

*Alexi*

Alexi pats Azten on the shoulder and then immediately jumps back a few feet, keeping some distance between herself and the dwarf.


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## silentspace (Nov 13, 2006)

Despite the fear at the apparition that chills his spine, Majakilar can't help but smile at the "child's" antics.  

He jumps when the hand appears to smac Alexi on the forehead, bringing his glaive up to strike.  But when he sees that Alexi is apparently unharmed, he relaxes a little bit.

Chuckling, Majakilar quickly places himself between Azten and Alexi and explains.  *"Alexi is now 'it'.  She has to chase someone else, who will then become 'it'.  So the rest of us should be running and hiding, as the ghost child is doing now down the blue corridor.  She could chase any of us, but of course it will be more fun for the ghost child if we chase him.  Do we risk angering the child if we don't play along?  I say let's go find him.  But if the blue corridor is like the others, we'll probably run into some... err... resistance.  I'm ready to chase, but how is everyone else feeling?  I don't think there's anything stopping us from going back to town and picking this game up tomorrow if we're low on resources."  *

*"But what is that creature anyway?  I don't know much of the spirit world.  Is it just toying with us before it attacks?  Or is it really friendly?"*


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## silentspace (Nov 13, 2006)

*"Or actually, I guess you're 'it' now, Azten, she did pat you on the shoulder after all."  *Majakilar says, chuckling a little harder.


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## Voadam (Nov 13, 2006)

"*I think everybody is still fine Majak. Anybody know any jokes? Even old ones might be new to a ghost that's been sitting bored down here for ages. Let's see where the spirit got to*." As he walks down Gregor thinks about it and says "*If its been down here for years and years alone that would be horrible. If we could do something nice for it we should*."


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 15, 2006)

*"Blue" corridor*

Still a bit shaken from the encounter with the spectral boy, you carefully make your way down the side passage towards the unlit blue lantern.  There doesn’t seem to be any sign of your play companion here, although he does tend to be difficult to pick out.

Like all the others, this corridor is about 20 feet wide and 35 feet long.  Unlike the others, however, the ceiling here begins at about 10 feet in height where it branches from the central chamber and rises at a steep angle, ascending much higher than the other corridors.  At the far end of the passage, where the blue lantern is hanging from a long, sturdy chain, this ceiling rises to at least 50 feet.

As in the other corridors, there is a circular indentation on the floor underneath the lantern.  A quick perusal of it (_OOC: Search check_) reveals that it probably does not cover an elevator shaft.  It seems to be ornamental.

A skeleton lies in a heap on the floor here, its bones scattered in a large area, those that haven’t been carried off by scavengers long ago.

Azten:[sblock]_(OOC: Spot check_).
Your sensitive dwarven eyes pick out something that the other races without darkvision miss.  At the top of this passageway there seems to be a corridor which continues in the same direction as the “spoke” of the star-shaped chamber you are in.  It looks to be roughly 40 feet off the ground.  Quickly looking around, you don’t see any handholds in the walls.  The only way up would be to climb the lantern chain, a feat of moderate difficulty for a skilled climber.[/sblock]


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## Mista Collins (Nov 15, 2006)

"Do you think this might be the boy's body?"


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## Voadam (Nov 15, 2006)

Gregor peers down at the skeleton, judging its size before answering.


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 15, 2006)

Voadam said:
			
		

> Gregor peers down at the skeleton, judging its size before answering.



(_OOC: Untrained Heal check_)
The skeleton looks to be that of an adult human who died of a cracked skull.


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## Voadam (Nov 15, 2006)

"*Looks too big to me*."


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## Azten (Nov 15, 2006)

Azten is more distracted by the stonework of the passage than the remains on the ground.  Straining to see up into the darkness above he notes an opening in the wall and points it out to the group.
About 40 feet up, but I see no way to access it.  Perhaps the chain is sturdy enough for one of us to climb?


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 15, 2006)

Following the dwarf's direction, the rest of the group looks up. At the top of this passageway there seems to be a corridor which continues in the same direction as the “spoke” of the star-shaped chamber you are in.  The opening is barely visible in the low light of the torch and lantern you carry.  It looks to be roughly 40 feet off the ground. Quickly looking around, you don’t see any handholds in the walls. The only way up would be to climb the lantern chain, a feat of moderate difficulty for a skilled climber.


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## Mista Collins (Nov 15, 2006)

Spitting in his hands and rubbing them together, Owen looks to the chain and then to the others. "I might be able to climb up there. Maybe there will be something I can lower down to help the rest of you. Anyone have some rope?"


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## silentspace (Nov 16, 2006)

*"Who has the rope again?  I think Gregor was carrying it, he's carrying pretty much everything,"* Majakilar says as he slaps his hand on the giant's back.

*"Speaking of which, do you think Gregor can 'elevator' us up like he did before?  Or is this a tougher climb?  Forty feet is a long fall, let's be careful."

"And do you think we should light the lamp?"*


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## Voadam (Nov 17, 2006)

"*Yeah, I do. Be careful Owen*." Gregor digs out the rope and gives Owen a boost if he needs it to get to the lantern chain.


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## Thanee (Nov 17, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“Not while Owen is climbing at least. Who knows what will happen, despite shedding some more light. We should light it either before or afterwards, though.”_


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## Mista Collins (Nov 17, 2006)

With a chuckle and a smile to Alexi, Owen agrees. "I say we light it before. Maybe something will happen. With the way things have been in this place I wouldn't be suprised."

Once the lantern is lit and it is obvious nothing is going to happen, Owen starts to climb up the chain.

Climb 1d20+5  [10,5] = (15)


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 18, 2006)

Owen tears off a small piece of parchment, which he pulls out of a map case, and lights it off of the hooded lantern he has been carrying.  He walks over to the blue lantern with it, and within moments it is burning brightly.  Even though the blue lantern does not feel like it's full of oil, the wick's flame is steady and strong.  He waits to see if anything strange or magical happens.  When it doesn't, he starts wondering how he is going to make it up the chain.

He puts his own lantern down and coils the rope Gregor has handed him around his body.  The giant man folds his hands together at hip height and bends into this knees a bit to make it easier on his shorter friend.  Owen uses the boost and grabs on to the chain above the lantern.  He hangs there for a moment, trying to ascertain if the chain will hold his weight.  When he is satisfied that it will not collapse, he begins to climb.  Due to the fact that the links are fairly large, there are plenty of hand holds and he is able to reach the top without much difficulty. The lantern chain is attached to a large bolt in the masonry ceiling here.

Once at the top he sees the passage before him, stretching off into the darkness towards the northeast.  It looks to be about ten feet wide and 12 feet in height.  The only light comes from the lanterns below, and he can barely see six feet into this corridor.

Holding on tightly to the top of the chain with his arms, Owen swings his legs and torso over to the edge of the passage, barely catching the end with his right foot.  After a few tenuous moments, he manages to shift his weight completely away from the chain, until he is finally able to let go of it.


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## Mista Collins (Nov 19, 2006)

Once Owen is standing in the corridor, he takes a few moments to tie a series of knots in the rope Gregor handed him and lets the rest of the group know what he is doing so they don't worry. "It sure is dark up here guys. Just give me a second. I am tying knots in the rope to make climbing easier for you. Plus I need to find something to attach the rope to."


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## Voadam (Nov 20, 2006)

"*I should have gone up first. My eyes are good in the dark*." Gregor looks over the chain gauging whether it would hold his weight. As well as that of a passenger.


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## Voadam (Nov 20, 2006)

"*Owen! Is the top bolted in securely enough to hold my weight? I think I can climb it and carry people if it will hold*."


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## Azten (Nov 20, 2006)

Azten fidgets nervously, torn between his desire to keep his feet planted firmly on the ground, and his desire to be the one to peer into the dark of the passage above.

 I have excellent vision in the dark as well, but - um - not so much ability to climb.  
Look around up there for any sort of mechanism that might activate a lift or hidden stairwell.


Then a bit more softly:  I'll look around down here for any mechanism trigger.


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## Thanee (Nov 20, 2006)

*Alexi*

_“Well, I'm neither a good climber nor can I see in the dark, so I guess I will wait here until you guys made some light up there?”_


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 20, 2006)

Mista Collins said:
			
		

> "It sure is dark up here guys. Just give me a second. I am tying knots in the rope to make climbing easier for you. Plus I need to find something to attach the rope to."



(_OOC: Owen "takes 20" on Search checks._)  Owen looks around in the little light available to him.  He can only see about 10 feet down the corridor, but from here the walls and floor all look very smooth, with no obvious places where one could attach a rope.  Whoever built this cairn seems to have had a different way of getting up here.  While looking he comes across something else interesting, though.  As Owen is feeling the floor with his fingers, he discovers scratch marks on the ground, especially close to the lip.  They are gouged fairly deep into the masonry floor, so whatever made them must have been fairly hard.  The light is insufficient to see what could have made them.



			
				Voadam said:
			
		

> "*Owen! Is the top bolted in securely enough to hold my weight? I think I can climb it and carry people if it will hold.*"



(_OOC: Intelligence check_)  The bolt which fastens the chain to the ceiling looks quite sturdy.  Although Owen is not a professional engineer, he guesses that it should hold the giant's weight.



			
				Azten said:
			
		

> Then a bit more softly:  I'll look around down here for any mechanism trigger.



(_OOC: Azten "takes 20" on Search check"_)  The dwarf looks all around the area, paying close attention to the stone work.  Other than the fractured bones and the lantern he does not find anything else interesting.


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## Voadam (Nov 21, 2006)

"*I'll carry you up then Atzen. I think it will hold us and it would be better to have somebody up there who can see in the dark*."

Gregor will begin ferrying the party up then, taking ten on the ascent.


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## Mista Collins (Nov 21, 2006)

"I don't see anything up here to attach the rope to! Quite frankly I don't see much at all."


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## silentspace (Nov 22, 2006)

*"Yes, I think that's a great idea.  I don't like Owen being up there alone, not being able to see,"* Majakilar says.

*"Everywhere we go in this place seems to require us to split up,"* he says with some frustration.  *"I hope that ghost's not up there, about to go hostile."*

Unsure of what he can do to help, Majakilar keeps an eye out on the passageway while Gregor climbs.


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 23, 2006)

*The ascent*

Slowly and carefully, Gregor uses his considerable strength to climb the chain.  Once he is above the lantern, he reaches an arm down and pulls Azten up onto his back.  Together they make the ascent which seems to proceed flawlessly.

There is a nervous moment where the two have to swing over to the ledge.  Gregor's weight has been thrown off slightly with the dwarf on his back, and he misses the edge on the first try.  Everyone holds their breath as the two swing back and forth for a moment.  Thankfully on the second try and with Owen's help, Gregor finds a foothold and finally finds himself on sold ground again, his arms aching from the exertion.

Once everyone has caught their breath again, Owen ties the rope around Gregor and the two of them proceed to start hauling everyone up from below.  While this is going on, Azten takes a tentative look around to see what he can see.

The corridor looks to have been built by the same architects as the rest of the cairn.  As Owen already noted, the passage is about 10 feet wide and 12 feet in height.  After a bit of searching Azten discovers the scratch marks on the floor, as if something had been dragged toward the lip of the passageway.  Taking a few steps down the corridor Azten sees that it is perhaps 70 feet long and ends in a wall shaped to resemble an enormous stone humanoid face, its mouth open in an angry scream.  Otherwise the hallway seems to have no other recognizable features.


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## Mista Collins (Nov 23, 2006)

"Any idea what could have caused these large scratches? I don't know enough about stonework to know what it takes to cause these."


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## Azten (Nov 24, 2006)

The presence of the deep scratches in the stonework makes Azten think of two things initially - something trying to climb up from below or being pushed over the edge from above.

He carefully searches the tunnel for any hints to what may have caused the gouges and also looks for any panels or sections that may slide.  Specifically, he's worried that the end panel may slide down the passage to push everyone back to the lantern chamber.

If he finds no evidence of moving stone, then he examines the end section carefully, trying to determine if the mouth has a function or if it is purely decoration.


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## Voadam (Nov 24, 2006)

"*Scratches? Oh yes, I see them now. They look pretty deep, whatever it was must have been pretty strong*."


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## Branding Opportunity (Nov 25, 2006)

*Passage of the Face*

As Gregor and Owen help to bring the rest of the party up from below, Azten continues exploring the passageway.  The wall with the frieze in the shape of a face is clearly the most interesting, although that does not stop him from closely paying attention to the rest of the hallway (_OOC: "Taking 20" on Search checks._)

Inspecting it more closely, the dwarf decides that the face's features are similar to the other sexless semi-human figures found throughout the cairn.  The screaming visage dominates the entire 10-foot by 10-foot wall at the end of the corridor.  As he approaches it, keeping a careful eye on where he is stepping and the surrounding walls, he feels his left heel drop slightly and hears the sound of stone scraping against stone.  Quickly looking down he notices that a small section of the floor tile he is standing on has been depressed.

Within seconds the face at the end of the hallway begins to animate.  Its mouth opens tremendously wide and a strong wind begins to bellow from it, which seems to be growing in speed and intensity.  At the same time the eyes of the face begin to spin, flashing blue and green, a pattern that the dwarf finds strangely fascinating; so alluring that he is frozen in place and can't seem to do anything other than stare at the oscillating colors.  (_OOC: Azten makes a Will save: 7 + 5 = 12, failure; Azten is now Paralyzed_)

At the far end of the corridor everything seems to happen all at once.  Owen and Gregor have just helped Alexi climb up the 40 feet from below, and she still has the rope tied around her.  With a loud roar an incredibly strong wind starts blowing from the end of the passage.  It is not strong enough to hinder your movement at the moment, but definitely seems to be growing in intensity.  The spinning green and blue lights can be seen from here as well, and are just as compelling.  Somehow Gregor and Alexi are able to tear their eyes away from the colors, instantly realizing that the patterns were trying to freeze them in place.  Down below Majakilar and Kenneth hear and feel the roar of the wind and see the colors, but are unaffected. (_OOC: Owen makes a Will save: 8 - 1 = 7, failure; Gregor makes a Will save: 19 + 1 = 20, success! Alexi makes a Will save: 10 + 4 = 14, success! Owen is Paralyzed_)

_(OOC: PLEASE POST ALL ACTIONS TO THE NEW COMBAT THREAD!))​_


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## Voadam (Nov 27, 2006)

oops


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## Branding Opportunity (Dec 25, 2006)

Alexi looks around, especially in the direction where the wind is coming from, while she detaches herself from the rope.  “This does not bode well. We need to get them out of here! Is there any exit, where we can get away from this wind and the weird face?”

Azten tries to shift his weight into the wind, fighting the paralyzing effect of the flashing lights.  After tremendous mental effort he is able to tear his eyes away from the mesmerizing lights.  He immediately drops to the floor to decrease the wind's effect on him.  (_OOC: Will save: 20 + 5 = success! Azten is no longer paralyzed_)

"*Owen, snap out of it!*" Gregor grabs Owen in one hand "Alexi, it got Azten too. We need to help him." Gregor then moves down to Azten, glancing quickly into the animated mouth to see if there is anything that can be done to stop the wind.  As the force of the wind increases Gregor realized that anything which might be stuffed into the hole would only be immediately blown out.

_What happened? I should of checked for traps! I can't move!_ Owen thinks to himself as he tries his hardest to move any of his limbs.  Try has he might, however, he can't seem to control them.  It feels as if they belong to a different person and he is observing them from a distance. (_OOC: Will save: 6 + 4 = 10, failure_)  Owen is vaguely aware of being picked up by the giant and carried down the corridor towards the flashing lights.  Even this change in venue is not enough to snap him out of it.

"What's happening?" Majakilar looks at Kenneth for a moment, hoping he had a better idea of what's going on.  "They are in trouble!"  Majakilar, realizing Gregor may be unable to pull him up, starts trying to climb up the chain (not the rope)  Due to his armor and equipment he is sadly not able to make any headway and after a few tries falls a few feet back to the ground.  (_OOC: Climb check 2 - 2 = 0, failure_)

(_OOC: The wind is now considered SEVERE and continues to grow in strength._)


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## Branding Opportunity (Jan 9, 2007)

Majakilar looks around desperately. He could see now that the wind was getting stronger, and quickly. Climbing up the rope, even if he could muster the strength to do it without falling, would take far too long. Helpless, he looks around the lower chamber, looking for a clue. Could the trap be reset from down here? His eyes sweep the room again, searching... His eyes fall on the bones. He suddenly thinks Were you blown down from up above?  "Gregor! Get everyone out of there! Get out, get out! It's going to blow you off the edge!"
Despite his best efforts, the young miner finds nothing on the wall of the corridor nearest to him.(OOC: Search and Spot checks on a 5 foot by 5 foot square of the wall)

Standing next to him, the gnome looks on helplessly.

Now that Azten is down on the floor, he fumbles for his holy symbol/hammer and looks for some interruption in the stone that he can drive it into to help him hold on. While doing so, he prays to Moradin to give him strength and luck in holding on.  As the wind continues to increase in strength he does his best to yell to his companions: "Look out! The wind ... Getting stronger ..."  (OOC: Casts Resistance)

Gregor is glad to see Azten shake off the paralysis but worried at the increasing wind force. "*I don't see anything to stop it! Let's get back before it blows us out, hold onto me! We need to move quick!*"

Taking his advice, Alexi takes a short leap off the edge of the hallway and grabs on to the chain.  Once she has a firm hold on it, she quickly begins to climb down it as fast as she can.  She is able to make it down about 15 feet before almost loosing her grip.  She dangles by only one hand 25 feet above the floor, the wind making the chain sway and sing like the string on a ill-tuned lute. (OOC: Double Climb check 20 - 1 (ACP) - 1 (Str) = 18, success! Climb check#2 12 - 2 = 10, failure)

Still hanging limp in Gregor's arm in the corridor above, Owen is along for the ride.

After casting his spell, the dwarf looks around desperately trying to find a place where he can drive his holy symbol into.  The careful craftsmanship of the builders works against him in this instance, as no break or flaw in the dark-tan flagstones can be found.  The blessing of Moradin seems to manifest itself in a different manner, however, as Azten feels himself grabbed by the scruff of his traveler's cloak and lifted off the ground by the giant.

Now carrying two of his companions, Gregor lumbers as fast as he can to the edge of the corridor.  The wind whips around the lantern chain, buffeted back by the far wall of the shaft before plunging into the dimly lit passageway below.  From where he now stands, the miner can see him friend Majakilar below, gesturing wildly at him and yelling.  His words are carried off by the now gale-force winds.

(OOC: The wind strength is now at Windstorm strength)


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## Branding Opportunity (Feb 8, 2007)

None of you thought the wind streaming from the screaming face's mouth could get any stronger.  And then it did.  A storm blowing this intensely outside would uproot  trees and carry off small livestock.  Although those still in the passage studiously avoid it, the eyes of the frieze still flash blue and green, if you could see them at all through the blown up dust and debris.

Majakilar watches as the young woman Alexi scrambles down the chain, and gasps as she almost slips. "Hold on Alexi! Grab hold of the chain again! You can do it!"
Tossing his glaive aside, he rushes forward, reaching out with his hands. "Don't worry, if you slip I'll break your fall! Come on Alexi!"  (_OOC: Readying an action to catch/cushion her fall_.)

Alexi tries to get hold of the chain once more, hoping to get down further to clear the way for the others. Managing to get a better grip this time, she climbs down until she is only 15 feet above the lower corridor.  She jumps the last few feet, trusting to Majakilar to soften her landing.  The miner catches her easily in his arms and is about to say something when he looks up again and sees Gregor grabbing hold of the chain above.  (_OOC: Climb check 18 - 1 - 1 (ACP) = 16, success; Majakilar melee touch attack vs. AC 10: 17 + 2 = 19, success!  Alexi takes no damage from the fall_)

Gregor shouts "*Hold on!*" to Azten as he shifts the dwarf to cling to his back. He will then have one arm free as he leaps out to grab the chain. He will then exert all his strength just to hold on, wrapping his legs around the chain for more support. One companion clinging to his back, the other paralyzed and clutched tightly to his side.

It takes only a fraction of a second for Azten's sense of self-preservation (and dislike of bouncing after falling large distances) to overcome his indignation at being picked up and hauled by Gregor.
Shouting to be heard over the roar of the wind, Azten hangs on for all he's worth and lets Gregor know.  "I'm trying!"

Both hang on for dear life as the hurricane blows them about as if they were a flag on a mast.  Thanks to their strength and a good deal of luck, both manage to hang on.  (_OOC: Both make Str checks, Gregor to hold on to the chain, Azten to hold on to Gregor: Gregor 12 + 5 - 1 (ACP) = 16, success! Azten 19 - 4 (ACP) = 15, success!_)

The wind continues blowing.  All you can see is the dust and debris blown about in the light of the flashing blue and green eyes and the blue lantern in the corridor below.  All you can hear is the obliterating roaring of the wind.  It does not grow any stronger, but does not seem to diminish in ferocity.

(_OOC: At this point we can leave strict combat rounds, and just continue posting here.  The wind continues blowing, however, so Gregor, Azten and Owen will still have a problem getting down.  Note that Gregor requires two free hands to climb._)


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## Voadam (Feb 8, 2007)

Gregor continues to hold on for the moment, just glad that he didn't miss or drop his friends.


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## Mista Collins (Feb 8, 2007)

Owen continues to lay limp in Gregor's arm until he gets the ability to move his muscles again.


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## Azten (Feb 12, 2007)

Azten also hangs on for dear life.


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## Thanee (Feb 12, 2007)

*Alexi*

_“Thanks!”_ Alexi says to Majakilar, as she gets down on her own feet again. Then she shouts up: _“Is everyone alright? Can we help you somehow from down here?”_


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## Voadam (Feb 12, 2007)

Gregor focuses on holding on to the chain and making sure the other two don't drop as they are buffeted by the continuing unnatural winds.


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## Branding Opportunity (Feb 23, 2007)

The wind continues its relentless battering of everyone in the corridor.  At moments you think that it has begun to die down, but then it picks up again, as strong as before.

Judging that eventually muscles will weaken, Gregor, Azten, and Owen take every precaution and slowly climb down the chain.  They are assisted by Majakilar, Alexi and Kenneth from below.  Eventually everyone makes it safely to the bottom without further injury.

As the howling of the wind makes it practically impossible to hear one another, you retreat out of the "Blue" corridor and back into the "Star Room".  Hunkering down behind the empty sarcophagus, you find that it provides a bit of shelter from the ferocious tornado still raging in the corridor above.  At least you can hear each other here, although you still need to shout in order to be heard.


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## Mista Collins (Feb 24, 2007)

Shouting over the noise of the wind, Owen looks to the others. "What in the blazes happened up there!! I want to apologize! I should have checked the corridor for any tripwires or activation plates!"

Looking at the colors of the lanterns and remembering the colors that paralyzed him, Owen continues. "You think what happened up there is tied to these lanterns?!"


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## Branding Opportunity (Feb 26, 2007)

After a few minutes the wind begins to die down a little, just enough to let you hear peals of childish laughter.  "Oh, I think you need to be a bit more careful than that!  You almost bought the farm on that one."  The cackling continues, the ghost seeming quite pleased with himself.


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## Voadam (Feb 26, 2007)

Gregor shouts to Owen "*Could be*!" With all the excitement and death defying leaping he's forgotten which lanterns they have recovered and hung up. He will look up and if there is a blue one hanging he will attempt to take it down to see if that stops the magical wind.


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## Branding Opportunity (Feb 26, 2007)

With the wind slowly dying down, Gregor takes a look around at the lanterns.  Despite the fierce wind, both the green and blue lanterns are lit, swaying back and forth.  The red lantern which you recovered from the corpse with the red leather armor on the lower level is still in Majakilar's pack.  Gregor guesses that the orange, yellow, indigo, and violet lanterns still hang unlit at the ends of their corridors.  It's only a guess as the blue and green lanterns provide the only current light in the room, and it doesn't reach to the ends of the branching corridors.  Their flickering, multi-colored light is being wildly refracted by crystals embedded in the ceiling, causing little blue and green motes to dance about the central chamber.  All other mundane light sources were blown out by the wind trap.


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## Azten (Feb 27, 2007)

Praise be to Moradin we all made it down safely.  With the memory of the unsettling whirling colors and powerful winds fresh in his memory, Azten offers:  Perhaps we should investigate down here more before going back up?


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## Mista Collins (Feb 27, 2007)

Seeing the blue and green lantern lit and recalling the colors he saw before being paralyzed, Owen gets an idea. 

"That face up there, had eyes that flashed blue and green, did it not? Those are the same colors as the lit lanterns down here. Maybe these lanterns are some sort of key?" Owen finishes with more of a question.


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## Thanee (Feb 27, 2007)

*Alexi*

_“Whew! I'm just glad we made it in one piece. We really need to be more careful around here.”_

Thinking about what Owen just said, she then adds: _“That could be! Maybe we can try it with some other lanterns and take a careful look?”_


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## Mista Collins (Feb 27, 2007)

"After what just happened, careful is a good idea."


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## Voadam (Feb 27, 2007)

Gregor braces himself and tries to reach up and take down the blue lantern to see if it stops or immediately lessens the wind.


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## Branding Opportunity (Feb 27, 2007)

The wind seems to be slowly dying down of its own accord.  Removing the blue lantern does not seem to make a noticeable difference.


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## Mista Collins (Feb 28, 2007)

"What if we light all the lanterns or extinguish them all?"


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## silentspace (Mar 2, 2007)

Majakilar's eybrows knit together in thought. That wind, it's amazing! I've never heard of a magic trap like this! I've studied the planes, and I wonder, could there be a rift to the elemental plane of air here, like there are rifts to the elemental plane of fire at volcanoes? That face could be a gateway! Well, here's the first lamp we found. Lighting them all seems to make sense, right? At least, I think that's how I would do it, if I could use magic, and make traps, and create gateways to the elemental plane of air... Err, yeah...


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## Azten (Mar 2, 2007)

Stroking his chin thoughtfully, Azten ponders the trap and what to do next.
A portal to an elemental plane would certainly explain the force of the wind.  What other wonders did the tomb builders possess?
Then, addressing Owen's suggestion of lighting or extinguishing the lamps: I think we should light them all before we try extinguishing them.  I recall that I have heard of some magics involving the combinations of different lights. "summation of frequencies" or some such prattle.  It is all just arcane mumbles to me.

Besides, I don't want you to be stumbling around blind down here in case something does happen.


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## Voadam (Mar 2, 2007)

Gregor will gather all the lamps the party has so they can be lit.


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## Branding Opportunity (Mar 2, 2007)

One by one Gregor moves around the cavernous chamber, lighting and hanging the lanterns in the correct order.  Once the red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet lanterns are lit, the domed ceiling of the central chamber reflect their light, creating thousands of tiny rainbows.  Each sparkles and shines as it slowly moves about the roof.  Whether this is illusion magic, or merely clever optics is hard to tell.

In the time it took for the miner to accomplish his task the wind from the corridor above finally came to rest.


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## Mista Collins (Mar 5, 2007)

Amazed at the beautiful display of all the lights, Owen pauses a moment before addressing the group. "I'm going to head up there. Anyone want to join me? Just allow me to lead so that I can possibly find a switch plate that may have been triggered."


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## Thanee (Mar 5, 2007)

*Alexi*

Alexi likewise can't avert her eyes from the spectacle. _“Yes... beautiful...”_

A while later, she gathers her attention and after thinking about it for a moment, she offers: _“Maybe we could bind you to a rope, which Gregor could hold, just in case. And the rest stays a bit behind, while you check for any signs of danger?”_


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## Azten (Mar 5, 2007)

That sounds like a good plan to me.  I will stay down here while you look for the trap trigger.


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## Voadam (Mar 5, 2007)

"*Yes, just Owen and me secured by a rope would probably be safest until we figure it out up there*."

Gregor will head up with Owen once again, this time with a safety rope.


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## Branding Opportunity (Mar 5, 2007)

*If the third time's the charm, what is the second?*

Once more you head down the corridor of the blue lantern, nervous about what lies ahead and above.  The wind had scoured the hallways clean of all bones and debris, with only the lantern to be found here now.

Gregor and Owen take their time and carefully tie a length of rope around each of them (_OOC: Take 20 on Use Rope_).  Owen goes up first, followed by Gregor, once he has slung a second length of rope around his shoulders and grabbed a lantern.  Tethered together securely, both men carefully climb the lantern chain and swing over to the ledge of the platform.  The memory of nearly being blown off of it still looms menacingly in their minds (_OOC: Take 10 on Climb checks_).

Once they have their feet under them again, Gregor takes the second rope and fastens it around his waist.  The other end he knots around the top ring of the lantern chain, the only anchor point to be found in the otherwise blank corridor (_OOC: Take 20 on Use Rope_).

After checking the integrity of the rope one last time, Owen reaches into his belt pouch and pulls out the magical goggles you found in the level below.  Gregor meanwhile has lit the lantern to provide some illumination in this otherwise dark corridor, and hands it to his companion.  Now that they can see where they are going, they notice that the eyes on the face at the far end of the corridor have stopped flashing.

Taking a deep breath, the Diamond Lake street urchin moves toward the face, carefully searching both the floor and walls for any triggering mechanism.  The goggles immediately adjust themselves, magnifying the details of the stone workmanship, making Owen gasp in awe (_OOC: Adding +5 circumstance bonus to his Search check, on which he is already Taking 20; total bonus: +32_).  The scratches on the floor noticed earlier now seem like deep furrows in the tan flagstone.

Approximately sixty feet down the hallway Owen finally finds a trigger plate in the floor and realizes that this is what he must have stepped on the first time.  Carefully avoiding it he momentarily looks up and notices that an element of the bas-relief face has changed.  Its mouth has widened considerably and is now literally open, revealing a dark chamber beyond.  The opening is large enough so that even Gregor should be able to pass through it without much difficulty.  Through it he can see the corridor continuing for less than 10 feet before opening into a long, dark room with no floor.  A three-foot wide beam of some kind of wood spans the chasm, leading straight ahead into darkness.  The room itself seems to be about 20 feet in width, with walls covered in a honeycomb of geometric patterns.  The featureless stone ceiling can barely be glimpsed about 20 feet above the beam.

Owen makes sure to check the rest of the corridor on his side of the face for additional trigger plates, but finds none.


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## Voadam (Mar 5, 2007)

Though his curse tainted eyes can pierce the darkness, Gregor lights the lantern so that Owen can see as he checks the corridor.


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## Mista Collins (Mar 7, 2007)

As they make their way down the corridor, Owen points out all the details he notices to Gregor. "It looks like it is safe for the others to come up here now. I'm confident this trigger plate is the only one for that trap. Plus I think lighting those lanterns down there caused this thing to open up."


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## silentspace (Mar 8, 2007)

As Majakilar waits below, he studies the lights, wondering if there is a pattern in them. "I wonder if Gregor and Owen are floating in the Elemental Plane of Air now. Remember near the beginning of the cave, there were whispering sounds? I bet that was a message in Auran. Probably telling us to light all the lamps before climbing up the chain."  He grins at the thought.


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## Voadam (Mar 9, 2007)

Gregor will start hauling everybody up one by one and warn about the trigger plate.


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## Branding Opportunity (Mar 12, 2007)

One by one, Gregor helps his fellow spelunkers climb the forty feet to the entrance of the hidden Corridor of the Face, while Owen holds the lantern so that the humans do not have to struggle in the shadowy light of the blue lantern.  After everyone has safely made the ascent the giant miner takes a well-deserved break to catch his breath.  Even with his tremendous strength it had been a test of endurance to pull up that many people in so short a time.

Once everyone has rested and readjusted their belongings Gregor and Owen take great pains to point out the trigger plate for the flashing face trap on their way to its mouth.  Through it, the group can all now see the corridor continuing for about ten feet before opening into a long, dark room with no floor.  A three-foot-wide beam of petrified wood spans the chasm, leading straight ahead to a metal door at the far end of the room, about 50 feet away.  About ten feet below the beam, countless iron spheres the size of large oranges form an irregular floor, but it's impossible to tell if they represent a wholly solid surface.  The walls to the left and right are covered in a honeycomb of geometric patterns.  The featureless stone ceiling hangs about twenty feet over the beam.  The light sources you carry are the only illumination at hand.

At the moment no one has yet dared to step through the mouth of the androgynous face that almost caused the death of the entire party not too long ago.


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## Voadam (Mar 13, 2007)

"*I don't like these bald people's creations. At all*." Having caught his breath Gregor heaves himself up to volunteer to be the first one through the mouth, though he will stop before the beam.


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## Mista Collins (Mar 14, 2007)

Holding his hand up to stop Gregor from advancing into the mouth, Owen again realizes the massive size of the man. "Before you lead us into battle or danger, let me check for any traps." with a smile Owen continues. "I don't want to be a limp body in your arms again."


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## Azten (Mar 14, 2007)

Azten occupies himself with examining the floor plate he missed earlier, and the stone face portal.  He is certainly curious about the next passage and it's wonders, but at the moment his sense of curiousity is somewhat muted by the experience of the wind tunnel passage.

 Be careful up there


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## silentspace (Mar 14, 2007)

"Yes Owen, this is certainly trapped. Or at least... difficult to pass.  Maybe passing the bridge is a test, like lighting the lamps." Peering over Owen's shoulder, Majakilar studies the geometric patterns, seeing if he can make anything of them.

[Int check +1?]


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## Branding Opportunity (Mar 14, 2007)

*Still in the hallway before the face*

Before anyone steps through the open, genderless face, Owen carefully checks it for any new surprises (_OOC: Taking 20 on Search check_).  Despite his best efforts he comes up with nothing.  Either there is no trap here or it is disguised beyond the young adventurer's ability to detect.

While he is thus occupied, Majakilar peers through the opening, a torch held out before him.  He studies the various geometric patterns on the left and right walls, at least those he can see from his somewhat limited vantage point still outside of the room.  The patterns are mostly hexagonal in shape, but Majakilar also spots rectangles, triangles, circles, parallelograms, and rhombuses.  Nothing about the frequency or placement of these shapes suggest anything unusual, although the miner doesn't find them particularly compelling artistically (_OOC: Int check_).


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## Voadam (Mar 14, 2007)

Gregor waits for Owen to give him the all-clear then steps inside. The beam and odd ball pit make him nervous but he'd rather take the risks with the unknown than have his friends do so.


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## Thanee (Mar 14, 2007)

*Alexi*

Alexi watches the process with suspicion. This weird face has been the cause of much worry to them before. But they were past the trap and Owen knows a bit about traps, so much for sure, so she was reasonably calm, or at least appeared so.

As Gregor finally dares the first step through the opening, Alexi holds her breath in anticipation, her eyes following every slight movement.


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## Mista Collins (Mar 14, 2007)

Following behind Gregor, Owen enters the next chamber and studies it a little more carefully.


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## silentspace (Mar 14, 2007)

Majakilar moves up next, and with his glaive reaches down to gently prod the iron spheres, to see if there is a solid floor beneath them.


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## silentspace (Mar 14, 2007)

After prodding and poking the iron spheres a bit, Majakilar stretches his leg out and steps gingerly with his toe on the petrified wood.  "Ahh... so this is petrified wood, eh?  It's like wood but made out of stone you say?"  He makes a small jump, seeing how sturdy it is.  Satisfied, he jumps a little higher. "So it's basically like a stone bridge I guess. Hmm...  Actually, come to think of it, maybe next time we come across a stone bridge, we can have Azten take a look at it first hmm? I mean _BEFORE _we step on it, not like this time." Majakilar makes another hop. "Nothing better than a dwarf to check out stonework. Except maybe a miner. I'm a miner, of course, and Gregor too, but we never really focused on the profession like Foreman Whines-a-lot wanted us to, eh Gregor?"

"This is a funny tunnel though.. " Majakilar reaches out with his glaive to see if he can reach the geometric patterns, and poke at them a bit. "I wonder what these all mean? I mean they're kind of ugly eh? They can't be there for the sake of beauty. Luckily we have Alexi to add a little beauty to these parts." Majakilar looks back and gives Alexi a wink.


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## Azten (Mar 15, 2007)

Azten follows Alexi through the portal, listening to Majakilar's monologue.  
Agreeing with his sentiments about the petrified wood, Azten pauses in his examination of the material long enough to wonder whether it is wood turned to stone, or stone carved so realistically to look like wood.


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## Voadam (Mar 15, 2007)

silentspace said:
			
		

> After prodding and poking the iron spheres a bit, Majakilar stretches his leg out and steps gingerly with his toe on the petrified wood.  "Ahh... so this is petrified wood, eh?  It's like wood but made out of stone you say?"  He makes a small jump, seeing how sturdy it is.  Satisfied, he jumps a little higher. "So it's basically like a stone bridge I guess. Hmm...  Actually, come to think of it, maybe next time we come across a stone bridge, we can have Azten take a look at it first hmm? I mean _BEFORE _we step on it, not like this time." Majakilar makes another hop. "Nothing better than a dwarf to check out stonework. Except maybe a miner. I'm a miner, of course, and Gregor too, but we never really focused on the profession like Foreman Whines-a-lot wanted us to, eh Gregor?"




"*Worrying about the cave-ins crashing down on everybody was . . . distracting. But hauling rocks doesn't require a lot of focus anyway*."



> I mean they're kind of ugly eh? They can't be there for the sake of beauty. Luckily we have Alexi to add a little beauty to these parts." Majakilar looks back and gives Alexi a wink.




Gregor's head whips around to look at Alexi's reaction but then he sheepishly looks down and away looking a little uncomfortable.


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## Branding Opportunity (Mar 15, 2007)

*When is wood not wood?*

After a bit of poking at the surface of the iron balls, which begins about five feet below the bridge, Majakilar can't seem to find a "floor" surface underneath.  He guesses that one could probably walk on the balls, but that one would have to be careful not to loose one's footing.  Having to pay that much attention would probably slow one down quite a bit as well.

Azten studies the structure of the bridge.  He guesses that this is actual petrified wood, not stone carved to resemble it.  Although creating "fake" petrified wood is technically possible, he guesses that it would probably involve magic.  The process of fossilization in wood, called permineralization, creates colorful striations that would be impossible to duplicate by mundane means.  Judging by the telltale woodworking marks on the bridge, it was probably carved out of wood and fossilized here in place.

Lost in conversation with his companions, Majakilar crosses the bridge a bit more than the others.  As he approaches the center of the beam there is a sudden popping sound from all around.  Three iron balls, identical to the ones below are fired from hidden holes in the walls to the left and right, targeting Majakilar and Azten.  One misses Azten by a mile, but the second hits him directly in the side of his helmeted head.  He looses his balance and topples off the beam, crashing hard into the iron balls below.  The third hits Majakilar in the chest, causing him to almost loose his balance.  Luckily he is able to steady himself with his hand at the last minute and does not join Azten below. (_OOC: Azten Ref save 14, failure; Azten takes 3 hp of damage from the fall; Majakilar Ref save 15 + 2 = 17, success!_)

_OOC#1: The reason that Owen did not detect this trap is that the mechanism for it is hidden in the walls, and is too far away.  One would have to lower oneself down to the "ground" and walk over to the walls to find them._

_OOC#2: Although we are not in combat rounds (technically no one is attacking you) time is of the essence.  If Majakilar doesn't get off that bridge he will be targeted again.  Just wanted to make that clear._


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## Azten (Mar 16, 2007)

Azten shakes his head, both in disbelief and to clear away the stars clouding his vision. _Fool dwarf - too busy admiring the petrified wood to see the Iron ball that knocked me over_ he thinks to himself.

Doing his best to navigate through the iron balls to Owen and Gregor on the other side of the room, he keeps an eye on those still on the walkway.


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## Mista Collins (Mar 16, 2007)

Upset he didn't see anything regarding this room, Owen shouts to Majakilar. "I'd get off that bridge! Other side might be your best choice!"


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## silentspace (Mar 17, 2007)

"What the... whoa!!"  Majakilar flails his arms, trying to maintain his balance. "That was close huh Azten? Azten...? Where are... oh hey Azten, what are you doing down there?"



			
				Owen said:
			
		

> "I'd get off that bridge! Other side might be your best choice!"




"Right! Other side, gotcha."

Majakilar rushes across the rest of the bridge to the other side.


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## Voadam (Mar 19, 2007)

Gregor reaches down to grab Atzen's extended hand and pull him up when he reaches them.


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## Branding Opportunity (Mar 22, 2007)

Azten unsteadily comes to his feet and eagerly latches on to Gregor's hand.  The large man quickly pulls him up to the "safe zone" where the rest of the group is huddled.

Majakilar dashes down the narrow bridge towards a large, metal door, covered in the same type of writing found throughout the cairn.  Unlike the other end of the bridge, here the three foot-wide beam simply dead ends, without any kind of platform.  Just as he reaches it and is about to breathe a sigh of relief, the same popping noises are heard from the walls all around them and two more iron balls target the unfortunate miner.  The first one hits him square in the shoulder causing him to loose his balance.  He topples over backwards off the beam and lands hard below, sending up a small wave of balls in a loud rumble.  Immediately grabbing for his polearm which had slid out of his hand on impact, Majakilar rights himself and comes to his feet, almost falling over again as he sinks knee deep into the balls, which makes for very trecherous footing.

For the first time  Majakilar is aware that there are other objects interspersed randomly among the iron balls.  In the faint light of his companions' lantern and torch he can make out two pieces of ancient clothing with a few bones nestled among them only a few feet away.

Before he has a chance to investigate further, everyone hears a low rumbling coming from the center of the room, somewhere underneath the haphazard floor.  Dozens of iron balls are pushed up from beneath as a bizarre creature pushes its way out.  It has a serpent-like body at least eight feet in length, mottled grey-brown in color.  Its head is a squirming mass of four squid-like tentacles surrounding a parrot-like beak.  Eyes and ears are either missing or carefully hidden.  It swings its head around as if getting a good view of the situation, then coils its body as it prepares to launch itself towards Majakilar.    (_OOC: First iron ball hits AC 21, hit! Majakilar Ref save: 1! Failure; Majakilar falls into the iron balls below on the far end of the bridge, about 50 feet from the rest of the party and takes 2 hp of damage_)

PLEASE POST COMBAT ACTIONS TO THE COMBAT THREAD​


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## silentspace (Mar 22, 2007)

edit... nm... moved to combat thread


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