Chp. 2: Deeper Into the Shrine!

[Grognardsw]

Joining Siavel beyond the south doorway in the hallway is Calto, Azoth, Leomar, Bruno, Kitchi and most recently Tabai. The jungle barbarian, like the others, gets a prodigious nosebleed along the way (1 HP.)

Azoth like others contemplates their goal within the Shrine. When they set out on their journey weeks ago across the sea, it was treasure hunting with a map. Then misfortune struck and they washed up on these strange shores (per Prologue thread.) The Shrine offered safety against savage cannibal natives, an opportunity to find a legendary artifact to help the peaceful natives under attack by the savages, and perhaps pick up treasure along the way. This last goal was what the adventurers set out on their journey for to begin with.

The scepter found earlier was indeed a powerful artifact, but apparently evil in its intent. Could this be the artifact of myth, or does it remain hidden still within the Shrine? The scepter, wrapped in an extra cloak, is now carried on Azoth's (?) back since Siavel's unseen porter spell expired.

Remaining atop the hill in the chamber is Blade Rain and Grindhelm.

Siavel yells to the others about the room beyond the north door, then proceeds south down the corridor.

Siavel's next action was stated. Others can state where they go given Siavel's comments.

Map

In the map below, the west door is actually South, and the east door is the North door referred to by Siavel. This is reflected in my map above.

[Dogma]

Leomar looks at the two still atop the hill. "Come on. Time to get moving." he calls before turning and following Siavel.

"Slow down there. Let me take a look before you go charging off into only the gods know where."

If possible he'll tryto get ahead of siavel to check for traps down the hall and around the treasure pile. Grog, plase make any required rolls/

[Storm11]

Bruno will check the door over that the wizard first looked into and if free of traps open the portal into the chamber

[Inferno]

Azoth Al-Aziz, occultic priest:

The esoteric cleric, cross-legged upon his flying prayer rug, accursed sceptre strapped to his spindly back, tried to follow Siavel's movements, and incoherent ramblings, as best he could.

[Dram]

Kitchi- follows after the wizard. Lets wait for the others this placevis full of traps and dangerous magic. We do not want to be fighting multiple magic traps.

[Marcanus_da_Lich]

Grindhelm the Dwarf

Grindhelm sighs as all his comrades leave, save the one at his side. "Come, friend, for we must follow them. We'll be left behind at this rate, and we both have bloodlust to keep in check. Just stick with me and copy as I do." he informs Blood Rain as he begins to descend south, down the hill, while swinging his axe around him in case an invisible entity decides to screw with him. He attempts to safely make his way to the rest, making sure that Blood Rain is not far behind.

[Grognardsw]

Grindhelm the dwarf and Blade Rain the fighter stand atop the hill as their comrades exit the chamber of underworld dioramas. They hear Siavel's words about the north door and chamber, and see Bruno the Mad darts back in to investigate it. The gnome thief-acrobat crosses the sands, his nose bloodying again (1 HP), then hugs the hill to avoid the brunt of the searing heat of the eastern chasm of flames, and heads northeast to the door. By the time Bruno reaches it the gnome is still hot as hell (1 HP). Thankfully the door is not trapped or locked, and inside he sees...

Grindhelm decides to join the group at the south door. His low dwarven balance helps him as he suddenly feels an invisible push from behind on his knees, but the dwarf manages to stay on his feet. Blade Rain, thinking that Bruno shouldn't be alone, races down to join him. He too is pushed and stumbles, falling down badly (1 HP), gets back up and joins Bruno at the north door. While going there he passes through the diorama of lave and flames, and the fighter is suddenly overheated (1 HP damage).





Meanwhile, Siavel takes advantage of his infernal vision of seeing-through-walls to spy what lies beyond the secret door farther down the south hallway. The others follow. Leomar the thief advances ahead and checks the secret door, finding no traps. The trained eye of Leomar detects that the secret door swings on a horizontal pivot in the middle of the slab. By pushing in at either the top or bottom of the secret panel, the opposite end will swing outward. There is a dark stain on the floor before the door. Siavel sees that behind the secret door is a short hallway that goes west, then south, and is at that point beyond range of his sight. (See map.)

There is also a corridor running off to the west, extending 40' as far as the torchlight.

As the elf enchanter proceeds further down the hallway, he also sees the heap of treasure...

...and surprisingly he sees no traps around it with his piercing vision. Again Leomar the thief moves ahead to examine the suspicious horde. As he does so, pale yellow dust has rubbed off on part of his hand or fingertips and it suddenly burns like acid! (5 HP)

Siavel observes beyond the treasure, in the west wall of the hallway at the end, a second secret door. Behind this a hallway turns west.

Map - What Siavel Sees

- Grindhelm & Blade Rain Save vs. hill fall [1d20] = 14, [1d20] = 1 Yes and no.
- Max Vale hasn't posted recently, so to move things along, I had Blade Rain follow Bruno.
- Bruno Find Traps on Door [1d100] = 8
- Leomar Find Traps on Door and Treasure [1d100] = 46, [1d100] = 95
- Leomar treasure damage [1d8] = 5

[Storm11]

The burglar-acrobat will attempt to jump to the shelf and scoop the urn and the flask And cylinder into his lack with a dagger.

[Inferno]

Azoth Al-Aziz, occultic priest:

If the arcane acolyte could not resist forbidden knowledge, it seemed his companions could not resist shiny coins.

Azoth flew over the poisoned treasure trove and hovered near the secret door beyond it, waiting until the group reached consensus on a particular direction in which they might all proceed together. He patiently advised that it should be one of the secret doors.

[GreyWolfVT]

Tabai moves up towards the pile of coins and tries to pull back the thief shaking his head no to indicate it's a bad choice to mess with those coins.

[OGRE MAGE]

Siavel continues his quest to see behind the rest of the walls in this area before the power wanes. He ignores the secret doors and treasure pile altogether and heads down the eastern corridor. He moves thirty feet down the hall, looking all around at the walls, floor, and ceiling the entire way.

He babbles out more orders but his demeanor gives away that he doesn't expect them followed.

Some of you should check on the two still at the door in the diorama room! We must try to stay together while I investigate what is behind the rest of these walls! Don't worry about me! I can see any traps with my new enhanced vision.

[max_vale]

Alex 'Blade Rain' Vam; Human male Fighter


Alex follows Grindhelm; about to object to the Dwaven veteran's claim that he had 'blood lust' to keep in check; but instead he just clamps his jaw shut and follows the warrior to join the others....

[Coleridge]

Calto, Druid
The druid stays at Slavel's side, moving deeper into the unholy shrine, his interest in gold wanes. That is a pretty spider though, he thinks.

How high are the ceilings in the hallways, roughly?

[Dram]

Kitchi- Will move back to watch for Bruno and the others. He will try to watch the direction of travel that the magic user went also. Trying to keep sight on both groups.

[max_vale]

Alex 'Blade Rain' Vam; Human male Fighter


Alex will move towards Kitchi and the others while calling out to Bruno; "I'm going to move over to the others, do you want to join me?"

[Storm11]

Once the gnome has collected the memorabilia he will leap back to the doorway and follow the others.

[Dogma]

Leomar yelps and jerks his hands back from the golden pile. He pulls out his waterkin and tries to wash teh acid from his hands. "I am really starting to hate this place." he says to no one in particular.

[Grognardsw]

Siavel the magus explores the west hallway, hoping his infernal eyes of piercing sight will reveal the mysteries of the shrine. Calto the druid follows behind him, observing that the ceilings are 10' high and the hallway 10' wide. The hallway extends 50', turns north 50', then twists around to stairs leading down. (See map.)The elven sorcerer spies no traps. Then his mystic sight fades and he beholds the normal spectrum.

Leomar the thief recoils from the treasure horde, grumbling as he washes the acidic powder off. Tabai the jungle barbarian and Grindhelm the dwarf look on in concern. Azoth the dark priest of Noden remains on his Meditation Rug of Corporeal Transcendence, hovering above the floor near the second secret door at the end of the south corridor. Kitchi the ranger takes up a position at the doorway, so he can see into both the diorama chamber and the hallway to help whoever may be in need.



Meanwhile, Blade Rain watches as Bruno the Mad darts into the north chamber to claim his prizes. The fighter exclaims to the gnome thief, "I'm going to move over to the others, do you want to join me?" then departs.

The short gnome thief-acrobat adroitly jumps up and taps down the urn with his sword, catching it as it falls. Up close he sees the urn bears a glazed painting of a man seeming to command snakes. As Bruno approaches the corner shelf with the flask, a cacophonous babble erupts all around him. The gnome feels reason slip into confusion (Save vs. Spells please) as eyes blink malignantly from the floor around him. And a multitude of mouths snap savagely!

Bruno is surprised as three mouths clamps down on him (3 HP damage) and tug, trying to pull the gnome down (Dex. check please.)

Halfway across the diorama chamber, Blade Rain hears the the strange gibbering sounds emit from the north chamber and knows Bruno is in trouble. Kitchi at the south doorway also hears the discordant babbling.

Map

- Bruno surprised? 1-3/6 [1d6] = 2. Yes.
- Monster mouth attacks (6) [1d20] = 13, [1d20] = 4, [1d20] = 1. One hit for 1.
- Monster mouth attacks (6) [1d20] = 4, [1d20] = 11, [1d20] = 13. Two hit for 2 total.
- HP status: viewtopic.php?p=180013#p180013

[Inferno]

Hi Grog,
You mentioned a few characters that heard Bruno's mouths of madness. Does that mean the characters not listed don't hear the trouble?
Thanks.

[Dram]

Kitchi- Seeing Bruno in distress. Siavel! We may need your expertise. There is trouble back here!