Heart of Gheddon

[God Imperror]

I raise and as I do the tent that was covering me magically adapts to cover my movements, taking the form of my battered travel cloak. I smuggle a hand to the hidden compartments and take one of the small sweet buns that is hidden inside the garment, felling invigorated just smelling the cinnamon and vanilla aroma emanating from the pastry. Biting it I walk after the group, till we get to the narrow cliff.

-Maybe we should tie us together, to make sure that no one falls down.

[Tharione]

Although there are a few close calls the cliff is traversed safely.

Mariel Reaches the top first and sees the cliff face leads up to a ledge large enough for a small village. Cut into the mountain at the back of this ledge is a massive, archaic looking archway. With eroding angelic reliefs carved into its pillars and arch. Inset further into the mountain between the pillars of this arch is a fifty foot tall double door of what appears to be slightly corroded iron inlaid with a more reflective and corrosion resistant metal. Ancient faded runes surround the iron doorway. And it appears a neat medium-sized hole has been bored through the left door at its base.

A small campsite sits close to the edge of the ledge, it is currently abandoned. Although the thick canvas tents, blankets and fire pit appear new enough that it was abandoned recently.

The rest of the group reaches the ledge after a slightly more perilous ascent and sees the same.

Ori views the hole in the door.

"This is the vault, Hopefully its guardians held against whatever breached their door. If the legends speak truly I doubt the inner Sanctum was reached in any case..."

[bindin garoth]

Axile is glad he's finally past that treacherous road. He can't stand it when there's danger and he can't do much. He had almost slipped once, luckily one of the members of the group had helped them. He realizes that he's lucky to have a group with him that cares. But that doesn't mean he completely trusts them yet. Are they just doing this out of the goodness of their hearts? He doubts it. There has to be some other motivation. All he wants to do is get his powers back, and is hoping that this adventure will help.

As they reach the top, he looks at the view of the city and the ancient structures behind it. They were remarkably well preserved, something he greatly appreciates. Being in a time much further in the future than his original time, it gave him an..... Appreciation of the past. As the group approaches the doors, he tenses up, ready for anything that may come out, for surely something had been here.

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Ready an action to use the cone version of Elemental Blast, Dealing cold damage in a 30ft cone.

Damage: (4d6+14)[28] Reflex save DC: 22 halves.

[Archmage1]

After she reaches the top, Mariel watches the progress of the others, prepared to cast her spell to save anyone who fell. Fortunately, no one fell.

"Well, that is... impressive. And old. I wonder who got in, and why they did. We should see if there is anything useful in the campsite, and then head in. No reason to let them create more of a lead than they already have."

Mariel searches the camp, looking for some clue as to who was here, and how they breached the door.

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search(1d20+10)[28]

[Tegannie]

Once she reaches the top, Cassie admires the structures. They remind her of home, for some reason. After of moment, she helps Mariel search the site.

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Aiding Mariel:
search: (1d20+3)[10]

[Tharione]

The campsite is recent, the embers in the fire pit still smolder.
Aside from 2 tents, 2 heavy winter blankets, and a small iron cookpot nothing of significant interest is to be found within it.

[Archmage1]

"Nothing. Disappointing, although unsurprising. I suppose the next step is the hole in the door."

Mariel heads towards the hole in the door, stopping at the entrance, and looking through it.

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perception(1d20+14)[31]

[Tharione]

Mariel can see that the hole is completely through the door, which is roughly eight feet thick and appears to have been rusted through. beyond that she can see a clean stone tile floor and a single pillar rising from it before the edge of her vision where all fades to darkness.

[Archmage1]

I wonder what could cause this.
Mariel looks back at the others, and waits for them to head towards the door.

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knowledge arcana(1d20+23)[24]
knowledge planes(1d20+23)[28]
any other knowledge(1d20+8)[26]

[bindin garoth]

Axile is annoyed by the investigation of the campsite. There was no use in it, Noone was there and what they needed was beyond these two doors. But still, he says nothing, simply waiting by the door and holding the elemental energy ready to lash out at a foe, should one pop up.

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Realizied I didn't state the trigger for the readied action.

He will release the cone through the door should any demonic or devil entity come through the doors when they are opened.

[God Imperror]

I wait the others leaving them room to explore while I think on what to do next. Well we probably should go further, going deeper searching for that inner sanctum. I approach the door examining the hole with carefulness. Such a perfect hole would imply wizardry or some foul crafting. Of course it could also be a beast of some sort.

I study the hole besides Mariel.

-If it's been rusted out maybe it's been a rust monster.

Then I look back at Ori.

-Regardless I doubt we will find much here, we might want to explore further deep.

[Baxxie]

Approaching the gate, Andrann addresses the rest. "Let me take the first step into there, and you follow my lead." he would tell them. He figured it would be without honor of him to let the women or 'the kid' take the lead into the unknown and, possibly, dangerous beyond.

[Archmage1]

"Sounds like a plan to me. Do you want me to cast light on you, so that you can see?"

[Tharione]

"I must announce my presence should the guardians still be alive."
Ori follows Andraan

[Archmage1]

"Andrann, your sword will light the way"

Mariel casts light on Andrann's sword.

[God Imperror]

I wait until the rest of them decide on which order they are going to enter the cave.

[bindin garoth]

Axile allows Andrann, Ori, and Mariel to enter before he does. After all, he's not that good at melee, it'd be best to have some shields in front of him!

[Tharione]

The party enters the darkened vault, capable of seeing as far as the light will allow them each. This chamber is is both wider and longer than the light radius. (those with low light vision can see the ceiling) there appears to be a fifty foot wide central hall flanked by 10' thick, plain pillars rising from floor to ceiling.

The place smells of dust.

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the radii are a light messed up
for the sake of ease just flip lowlight and darkvisions circles.

[Archmage1]

"Ori, Lead the way."

Mariel flies up a bit to be near the ceiling, and safely out of melee reach.

Big room. Seems to be too large to protect something, unless it is protected by equally large creatures...

[bindin garoth]

Axile follows them in, and isn't sure of what to make of the sight. With all the dust gathered here, was the place abandoned? And why such a big place just to guard a key? It seems like it'd be better to have a small hidden nook to keep the key, or at least that's what he thinks. 'Besides,' He thinks to himself, 'a place such as this just stands out way too much. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens further in first......'

[Tharione]

Mariel can see the ceiling is interlocking arches between the pillars carved from solid stone, or possible shaped by magic. At the midpoint of these arches, between the four visible pillars is a inverted statue of an angelic figure, holding aloft a metal ball.


Ori looks around before crying out into the dark. She retrieves a stone with an inscribed symbol and presents it to the darkness

"Guardians of this place! I am Ori Al'Kasaar, Keeper of the map! I have come to retrieve the key."

Her announcement is met with silence.

As andraan steps forward a snapping sound is head beneath his feet as he trips a tripwire. The statue above releases the ball, which falls to the floor below in front of the party. Colliding soundlessly with the floor and severely cracking the stone tile.

[Archmage1]

Glad I am up here, instead of down there.

"Ori, what do you know of the defenses of this place? It would appear that the guardians are gone, probably done in by whatever melted the whole in the door."

Mariel hovers closer to the ground, and looks around for traps.

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search(1d20+10)[29]

[Tharione]

Ori does not respond.

Those on the ground do not hear Mariel say anything.

[God Imperror]

I look around, there might be some traps. Spotting them won't be easy, but activating them might be feasible. I reach for the bag of tricks that Bill had, drawing a small ball of fur and throwing it in front of me, signaling the animal to walk ahead and fetch. Luckily the little beast would activate the traps, letting us advance without trouble.

I focus, trying to listen to any strange sounds, like those activated by a wire or a pressure plate, listening to the darkness in the cave.

Realizing that we seem to be in an area of silence I snap my fingers and move them over my lips caressing them with gentleness.

-I don't really like silence.

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gray bag of tricks (1d100)[26] so its a bat.
listen (1d20+16)[34]

Joyful noise casted, 10 feet area centered on Firia.

[bindin garoth]

Axile doesn't like this, not one bit. They were in an area of silence, probably from that trip Andrann triggered. They hadn't even heard the gigantic ball collide with the floor! That should of made some sort of noise.

Axile reaches into his bag and pulls out an everburning torch, hoping to help them see a little further ahead.

[Tharione]

Ori appears both undeterred by the falling ball and to know where she is going, she begins walking in the direction opposite the iron doors.

All of a sudden, the glowing sword ceases glowing and the ever burning torch sheds no light. Those without the ability to see in the dark are left in pitch blackness. only the light of the hole in the door behind them is visible.

Those with darkvision:

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nothing new aside from a lack of light.

[Archmage1]

I think it is time to get to the ground. If that is an AMF...
Mariel tries to fly down until she reaches the point at which the lights went out, at which point she tries to find the rest of the party.

[bindin garoth]

Axile isn't surprised by the darkness, although that doesn't mean he doesn't hate the situation they're in. It was the perfect way to cause a group to get separated, extinguish their lights and silence their voices. The only question was if and when they would be attack......... Of course the depends on if the guardians are still here or not.

'Perhaps if I wedge the door open, the light coming through the whole doesn't seem to be blocked........... He thinks to himself. He proceeds to walk up to the doors, and opens one of them, hoping to actually be able to see from the light outside.

[God Imperror]

When the lights goes off I instinctively reach while maintaining my concentration on the spell for Casker.

-Casker, you should be able to see, keep your eyes open.

I think about moving around, but then decide against it, separating is probably a bad idea.

-If you can hear me come in the direction of my voice. We should stand together. Can anyone actually see in the dark?

Luckily the bat won't need any light to move around.

[Archmage1]

Mariel heads towards Firia's voice, hoping to find the party.