"Well, here we are." Risch says, clearly happy to be finished with long distance travel for the time being. "Let's head down, shall we?
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"Well, here we are." Risch says, clearly happy to be finished with long distance travel for the time being. "Let's head down, shall we?
Tan
Seeing their trail mark the end of their journey, at least to the temple, Tan agrees with Risch. "Indeed, but I suggest utmost care. We don't know what to expect."
Daveak Pegason
Looking down at the switchback, Daveak warns his companions, "Watch your step, the footing on trails such as these can be dangerous, and falling wouldn't be the most pleasant way down."
With that, he will take his own advice, slowly picking his way down the trail, bow at the ready.
The steps lead downward, forming a slick and treacherous path that forces you to move more slowly than you're accustomed to.
At the bottom a layer of water about a foot deep sluggishly flows southward and based on the mass of sticks and rotting leaves that's collected at the end it appears to drain off through some unseen means.
It's source is a massive stone archway set into a carved rock wall on the northern end of the gorge, and there are remnants of stairs to either side of where the stream has worn away the rock. The archway itself is about thirteen feet (four meters or so) tall, and despite it's decrepitude is clearly visible as an artificial creation. An unpleasant but hard to define smell permeates the air, and it gets stronger the closer to the archway you get. No light is visible inside.
Eg del Wonk
Eg follows the Ranger slowly down the canyon.
The entrance is at the bottom of a canyon. Surprise, surprise...
Tan
Used to the natural terrain, Tan quickly makes his way down. Allara has a harder time as she shifts and slides down the trail.
When she gets down, Tan pats her on the head. "Good girl."
He looks up at the archway and takes a deep breath, Is this it?
He turns around to look if the rest of the party has made its way down. "Shall we?"
Daveak Pegason
Daveak looks into the dark archway, then reaches into his pack. He pulls out and lights a torch, hoping the flickering light will provide enough light in the tomb-like darkness.
Taking his longsword in hand, he says "Aye, I'm ready." With that, he begins walking towards the entrance.
((Sword in my primary hand, torch in my offhand.. obviously ;) ))
Risch turns and looks into the archway, then follows behind Daveak, keeping his eyes peeled for danger
SpoilerSpot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1d20+3[/roll]crap. Rerolling listen in OOC thread.
As you walk inside, the torchlight throws a flickering orange illumination over what is probably a foyer of sorts. The walls and ceiling are clearly worked stone, but are old and have a layer of lichen coating them. The floor is slimy and covered by ankle deep (knee deep or so in tan's case) water, which is almost still once past the entrance.
Approximately twenty feet in, the way is barred by a twisted mass of rust, an iron gate that has been reduced to ruin by the passage of time and moisture. There is no discernable lock and the hinges no longer serve their intended function.
All is quiet except for your own splashing footsteps.
Eg del Wonk
"Are we going to stand here all day or are we planning to find a way in!?"
After a...long...pause, looking around the room, Risch walks over to the remains of the gate and looks beyond it.
SpoilerIf wanted:
spot: [roll0]
Daveak Pegason
Daveak holds up his torch and looks through the gate.
If it seems clear, he will attempt to push/pull the gate open, then take a few cautious steps through the entrance.
Spoiler
[roll0]
[roll1]
The tunnel curves upwards and to the left beyond the gate, and there looks to be more of a current in the water there.
The gate itself is stuck fast, but you imagine that it could be bashed open with an appropriate bludgeoning object.
"Well...I suppose we should try to get through this."
Risch begins to search through the room for an appropriate makeshift battering ram.
SpoilerAlthough I doubt a big log will be hidden, have a Search check: [roll0]
Eg del Wonk
Under his breath, Eg comments in Infernal, "Anyone got a big log?"
Tattle
Seeing how his party members are busy opening the gate, Tan sits down in a meditative stance.
"To open a lock, you must first find the key."
Eg del Wonk
Returning to Common, "Or smash the thing."
Eg del Wonk
Annoyed with his companions' slow progress, Eg charges at the gate.
[roll0]
Lunging shoulder first at the obstacle, the party bard collides with the rusted remains of the gate, but it yet holds.
Other than a loud clatter and bits and pieces that have fallen to the ground, the gate is unmoved.
Eg del Wonk
Picking himself up again, Eg takes a few steps back and tries to charge the gate again.
[roll0]
Daveak Pegason
Seeing the gate showing an abnormal amount of resistance, Daveak says,"Let me give it a try."
Standing in front of the rusty barrier, Pegason gives it a swift kick in the center, hoping to dislodge it from it's mounts.
[roll0]
Tan
Tan sighs, gets up and dusts himself off.
"Let me handle it. Allara, I'll need your help girl."
Tan works in tandem with Allara to bring the door down.
[roll0]
[roll1]
As the majority of the party puts their back into bending the gate out of the way, Allara perks up her ears at her master's call for assistance and calmly reaches out a paw to scratch at the bottom of the gate, giving it that last little push it needed.
The entire assembly crashes to the stone floor with a tremendous clatter, and the three who were pushing come down painfully on top of it, getting quite wet.
Beyond, the stairway beckons mockingly.
"Let's see what mysteries these ruins hold..."
Risch says cheerfully as he turns to stride up the staircase.
"And see if said mysteries are worth anything..." he mutters under his breath as he walks, grinning.
Eg del Wonk
SpoilerIf the Rogue tries to move past us while we're trying to get up, Eg grabs the bottom of the Rogue's leg and trips him.
Eg picks himself up off the ground and shakes and wrings some of the water out of his clothes.
To their Rogue, Eg menaces in an Infernal accent, "You could have assisted us!"
After getting up and possibly wringing out your clothes, the other three presumably follow Risch along the passage.
At the top is a fairly large room, with battered stone blocks on the floor in evenly spaced rows, about 2' high, with a wide walkway in between. At the far end of the room, a similar block centered on the pathway is flanked by two statues.
The statues themselves are about 6' tall but are incredibly oddly proportioned, with one bulky and wide, the other spindly with very long arms. Both have short legs. The surfaces are worn smooth, to where you can't make out features, and water appears to flow from the skin of the statues in thousands of small rivulets, but no source of the water can be seen.
On the center block, there appear to be broken fixtures of some shiny metal, the exact color is hard to make out in the torchlight, but it shows no signs of rust or tarnish despite being attached firmly to the block.
There appears to be another passageway sloping downwards past the statues.
Eg del Wonk
The statues, oddly proportioned, catch Eg's eye-and suspicion. Closing his eyes for a moment, he tries to think of what they might be.
((see knowledge rolls in OOC))
Approaching the statues warily, Risch examines them without touching them, and then turns to look over the metal on the block.
Tan
"I would advice caution. I think I heard something." Tan looks over to Allara, who's grown more silent than usual. "Also, I don't like how Allara is acting. I don't think we're alone."
Tan removes his shield from his back and grabs his club. "Risch, Eg, try to get as much from this place as you can. Dakeak, check out that passage over there, but don't stray too far."
"Yeah, I heard it as well," Risch comments, pulling out his crossbow as he inspects the room. "May be more of those creatures from before."