Starker:”Colleagues, Around the left nostril are runes of the type that will trigger an effect when a condition is met. I think that condition might be the insertion of a gem. The effect, well … it will be interesting to observe, I hope.”
Starker calls out to you and the freezing fog erupts from the floor around him. He seems to weather the storm well taking 10 cold damage. Unlike Kragen, his lips and nostrils are not coated in ice crystals.
Cyrus screeches and points at Starker when this happens.
Starker turns around and puts his finger to his lips, walks back as quielty as he can, holding his breath open exiting room, says:
”The runes about the nostril also mention a ritual about cold and silence. After I spoke and was so chillingly chastised the ice ropes’ motions’ sensitivity to sound seemed to increase, even to the extent it was responding to the soft susurration of my spiration. Back in the room with the floor fire flails there did also seem a relation between sound and fury that signified … something.
”Perhaps the answer lies in part in the use of Silence? I myself do not know a spell of that type. Thoughts, colleagues?”
“Hmmm, what exactly did the tunes reference specifically? I was relatively silent, or at least did not speak, while approaching the skull. However the effects of the room seemed to intensify after I crossed 30’ of distance.”
”I can call Tyrs divine power to silence an area however feel we should have a little more context to support that hypothesis before we do?”
Starker:”These runes do not seem to form a coherent narrative nor communicate a message. Their constellation serves more to anchor a magical or mystic set of effects. Sometimes something can be gleaned from their individual orientations and spatial relationships, thus my deducing a relationship between silence and cold from the proximity of the related individual runes.”
Starker:”These runes do not seem to form a coherent narrative nor communicate a message. Their constellation serves more to anchor a magical or mystic set of effects. Sometimes something can be gleaned from their individual orientations and spatial relationships, thus my deducing a relationship between silence and cold from the proximity of the related individual runes.”
Xymox: "I can cast Comprehend languages, if that would help."
Starker:”That is a wonderful ability! It must bring you enormous pleasure to be able to glean meaning from otherwise incomprehensible marks and sounds. How I envy you! If you can do so without preventing future-Xymox from doing it in the mausoleum then by all means, if we can figure out a way to get you near enough without your turning into a drowsicle.
”The runes indicated a ritual between silence and cold, not a spell, I think, but perhaps my neurons are too frozen to fire. I do not know how to proceed.”
Starker:”For those of you who couldn’t observe fine details at a distance, the sequence was as follows: I held my breath as I approached the skull. The cloud of freezing vapors was triggered when I spoke. The foggy floor ropes waxed and waned in time my breathing.”
“Maybe our best approach forward is to have Xymox attempt to decipher the runes in the mausoleum? The only other approach I can think of would be carrying a gem associated with cold, such as a diamond? Fairly weak premise as I don’t remember any reference in the crypt which would lead me to that hypothesis.”
Starker:”I think that the more information, the better. Xymox, if you are willing and able to get us more information in the mausoleum we would all be grateful, I believe.
“Friend Chadwick, I apologize if my actions in our effort to save you from an unknown fate should have displeased you so. If Jievs had more strength I would not have needed to resort to my clinical approach. We needed their mass, they needed only a Mass. It simply never occured to me that collections of atoms formerly animated by accidental collisions of neural firing should be treated differently than collections of atoms in, say, an empty house or deserted ant hill. I truly meant no harm.”
“Maybe our best approach forward is to have Xymox attempt to decipher the runes in the mausoleum? The only other approach I can think of would be carrying a gem associated with cold, such as a diamond? Fairly weak premise as I don’t remember any reference in the crypt which would lead me to that hypothesis.”
/OOC: Xymox has a Sapphire. That may be associated with cold. Im willing to try to approach with the Sapphire, or go to use Comprehend languages.
“Suggest we see if you can decipher more of that script in the mausoleum. It may lead to a clue we can use for this portion of the crypt. If I remember correctly, the arcane globe portend another level up for us to reach our target.”
Trolkarl agrees with Kragen, Yes, there were a few places below we might be able to review. Perhaps we can learn can learn something to help accelerate our effort to destroy this foul place.
/OCC In a couple of rooms, we were uncertain about at least three things due to language barriers.
A. We encountered cryptic messages written in draconic language on the columns. While Chadwick had some intriguing ideas, we weren’t entirely convinced by his interpretation, which involved using his weapon’s reflection to decipher the message backward.
"
Kragen finds a series of lines on the columns:
“No death dared claim him, his knowledge complete, / Not bound to this tomb, though here lies his seat.”
“For those who pry with eyes unearned, / From soul to shell, your fate be turned.”
“A prize awaits the hand unshaking, / But only through the truth forsaking.”
“From shadow deep to astral flame, I crafted death and gave it name.
But wisdom lies beyond the gate, Not through the doors that tempt with fate.”
He also finds an isolated inscription that does not seem repeated:
𐍈𐌁𐍄 𐌅𐍈𐌕𐌂𐌄𐌍 𐌅𐍉𐌃𐌄𐍃
𐍉𐌍𐌁𐍄 𐍉𐍃 𐌆𐌄𐍃𐌕 𐍃𐌅𐌋𐌉𐌂𐍉𐌍𐌄𐍃
𐌂𐌋𐌄𐌂𐌋𐌄𐍃 𐌂𐌌𐌋𐍄 𐍄𐌂𐍈𐌕𐌄𐌂
𐌍𐍄𐌁𐌄𐍃 𐌕𐍉𐌄𐌂𐌈𐌄 𐍃𐌌𐌍𐌄𐍃
Kragen determines that the writings on the doors are different than those on the columns. They are only in draconic and arcane sigils and glyphs.
B. There was also the inscription on the alter that I am not certain we ever cracked
The hallway opens into a large chamber. The ceiling rises to 25 feet above you and is covered in bas-relief depicting geometric partitions. Each partition has a themed fresco showing scenes of alien landscapes, winged reptilian creatures, battles between armies, depictions of twisted and tortured people or filled with sigils and runes of power. You stand at one end with two large statues made of gold and silver that are inlaid with semi-precious stones. Each depicts a dragon coiled up and facing the far end of the room. The floor is of a translucent black stone with what appears to be ropes of flames writhing slowly under the surface. The far end of the room has a large altar in front of a skull face filling the wall from floor to ceiling. The massive skull behind the altar looms at least 20 feet high, its empty gaze fixed on you. Eerie red-orange light pulses from the eye sockets, nose hole and mouth of the skull in rhythm with the ropes of flames in the floor. The rhythm is like a heartbeat. Two low stone statues of skulls sit on each side of the altar. There are some items sitting atop the altar along with an open tome. It is difficult to see what the items are from this distance. There is an inscription across the front of the altar that is inlaid in gold. It reads: “Asqg zaqxslx moxsltxz dtx iudtpayx. Asqg dyodt osqilez dtx zxuqxw zioq.”
The scale of the chamber is oppressive—built for rituals long lost to mortal memory. The inlaid dragons stare down the length of the room like guardians or judges, their jeweled eyes faintly gleaming. The bas-reliefs above cast angular shadows across the floor, giving the illusion that the partitions are watching or shifting with your movement. The translucent black floor gives just enough light from the writhing fire below to reflect your silhouettes — slightly delayed, as if the shadows move just a breath too slow.
C. Finally, there was the tome that Starker thought dealt with the multiverse, planes, and connections between planes. This had bits of various languages. It may be lesser importance than the other two.
The book's pages are covered in text, diagrams, margin notes and other figures that appear to be arcane in nature. All of the writings are in languages you do not recognize or read. There are several languages used it seems. You also perceive that the writings are by different authors as the styles of writing are different.
It looks like a one hour duration but he need to touch the items. That makes the alter and book less appealing. Can we start with column In location marked A-Then move to the location with alter and book, B&C?
It looks like a one hour duration but he need to touch the items. That makes the alter and book less appealing. Can we start with column In location marked A-Then move to the location with alter and book, B&C?
Xymox gives a thumbs up.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Starker:”Colleagues, Around the left nostril are runes of the type that will trigger an effect when a condition is met. I think that condition might be the insertion of a gem. The effect, well … it will be interesting to observe, I hope.”
<places ruby in left nostril>
We don’t need interesting effects. We need this whole damn place destroyed.
We are going to need more details on what you think this might trigger.
Starker calls out to you and the freezing fog erupts from the floor around him. He seems to weather the storm well taking 10 cold damage. Unlike Kragen, his lips and nostrils are not coated in ice crystals.
Cyrus screeches and points at Starker when this happens.
(Edited based on info delay in asynch messaging)
Starker turns around and puts his finger to his lips, walks back as quielty as he can, holding his breath open exiting room, says:
”The runes about the nostril also mention a ritual about cold and silence. After I spoke and was so chillingly chastised the ice ropes’ motions’ sensitivity to sound seemed to increase, even to the extent it was responding to the soft susurration of my spiration. Back in the room with the floor fire flails there did also seem a relation between sound and fury that signified … something.
”Perhaps the answer lies in part in the use of Silence? I myself do not know a spell of that type. Thoughts, colleagues?”
“Hmmm, what exactly did the tunes reference specifically? I was relatively silent, or at least did not speak, while approaching the skull. However the effects of the room seemed to intensify after I crossed 30’ of distance.”
”I can call Tyrs divine power to silence an area however feel we should have a little more context to support that hypothesis before we do?”
Starker:”These runes do not seem to form a coherent narrative nor communicate a message. Their constellation serves more to anchor a magical or mystic set of effects. Sometimes something can be gleaned from their individual orientations and spatial relationships, thus my deducing a relationship between silence and cold from the proximity of the related individual runes.”
Xymox: "I can cast Comprehend languages, if that would help."
Starker:”That is a wonderful ability! It must bring you enormous pleasure to be able to glean meaning from otherwise incomprehensible marks and sounds. How I envy you! If you can do so without preventing future-Xymox from doing it in the mausoleum then by all means, if we can figure out a way to get you near enough without your turning into a drowsicle.
”The runes indicated a ritual between silence and cold, not a spell, I think, but perhaps my neurons are too frozen to fire. I do not know how to proceed.”
Starker:”For those of you who couldn’t observe fine details at a distance, the sequence was as follows: I held my breath as I approached the skull. The cloud of freezing vapors was triggered when I spoke. The foggy floor ropes waxed and waned in time my breathing.”
Yartol stands watching the rest of you. His hands rest on the hilts of his swords as he gives the room beyond a thin-lipped, furrowed brow glare.
“Maybe our best approach forward is to have Xymox attempt to decipher the runes in the mausoleum? The only other approach I can think of would be carrying a gem associated with cold, such as a diamond? Fairly weak premise as I don’t remember any reference in the crypt which would lead me to that hypothesis.”
Starker:”I think that the more information, the better. Xymox, if you are willing and able to get us more information in the mausoleum we would all be grateful, I believe.
“Friend Chadwick, I apologize if my actions in our effort to save you from an unknown fate should have displeased you so. If Jievs had more strength I would not have needed to resort to my clinical approach. We needed their mass, they needed only a Mass. It simply never occured to me that collections of atoms formerly animated by accidental collisions of neural firing should be treated differently than collections of atoms in, say, an empty house or deserted ant hill. I truly meant no harm.”
/OOC: Xymox has a Sapphire. That may be associated with cold. Im willing to try to approach with the Sapphire, or go to use Comprehend languages.
Yartol continues to watch and listen.
“Suggest we see if you can decipher more of that script in the mausoleum. It may lead to a clue we can use for this portion of the crypt. If I remember correctly, the arcane globe portend another level up for us to reach our target.”
Trolkarl agrees with Kragen, Yes, there were a few places below we might be able to review. Perhaps we can learn can learn something to help accelerate our effort to destroy this foul place.
/OCC
In a couple of rooms, we were uncertain about at least three things due to language barriers.
A. We encountered cryptic messages written in draconic language on the columns. While Chadwick had some intriguing ideas, we weren’t entirely convinced by his interpretation, which involved using his weapon’s reflection to decipher the message backward.
"
Kragen finds a series of lines on the columns:
“No death dared claim him, his knowledge complete, / Not bound to this tomb, though here lies his seat.”
“For those who pry with eyes unearned, / From soul to shell, your fate be turned.”
“A prize awaits the hand unshaking, / But only through the truth forsaking.”
“From shadow deep to astral flame,
I crafted death and gave it name.
But wisdom lies beyond the gate,
Not through the doors that tempt with fate.”
He also finds an isolated inscription that does not seem repeated:
𐍈𐌁𐍄 𐌅𐍈𐌕𐌂𐌄𐌍 𐌅𐍉𐌃𐌄𐍃
𐍉𐌍𐌁𐍄 𐍉𐍃 𐌆𐌄𐍃𐌕 𐍃𐌅𐌋𐌉𐌂𐍉𐌍𐌄𐍃
𐌂𐌋𐌄𐌂𐌋𐌄𐍃 𐌂𐌌𐌋𐍄 𐍄𐌂𐍈𐌕𐌄𐌂
𐌍𐍄𐌁𐌄𐍃 𐌕𐍉𐌄𐌂𐌈𐌄 𐍃𐌌𐌍𐌄𐍃
Kragen determines that the writings on the doors are different than those on the columns. They are only in draconic and arcane sigils and glyphs.
B. There was also the inscription on the alter that I am not certain we ever cracked
The hallway opens into a large chamber. The ceiling rises to 25 feet above you and is covered in bas-relief depicting geometric partitions. Each partition has a themed fresco showing scenes of alien landscapes, winged reptilian creatures, battles between armies, depictions of twisted and tortured people or filled with sigils and runes of power. You stand at one end with two large statues made of gold and silver that are inlaid with semi-precious stones. Each depicts a dragon coiled up and facing the far end of the room. The floor is of a translucent black stone with what appears to be ropes of flames writhing slowly under the surface. The far end of the room has a large altar in front of a skull face filling the wall from floor to ceiling. The massive skull behind the altar looms at least 20 feet high, its empty gaze fixed on you. Eerie red-orange light pulses from the eye sockets, nose hole and mouth of the skull in rhythm with the ropes of flames in the floor. The rhythm is like a heartbeat. Two low stone statues of skulls sit on each side of the altar. There are some items sitting atop the altar along with an open tome. It is difficult to see what the items are from this distance. There is an inscription across the front of the altar that is inlaid in gold. It reads: “Asqg zaqxslx moxsltxz dtx iudtpayx. Asqg dyodt osqilez dtx zxuqxw zioq.”
The scale of the chamber is oppressive—built for rituals long lost to mortal memory. The inlaid dragons stare down the length of the room like guardians or judges, their jeweled eyes faintly gleaming. The bas-reliefs above cast angular shadows across the floor, giving the illusion that the partitions are watching or shifting with your movement. The translucent black floor gives just enough light from the writhing fire below to reflect your silhouettes — slightly delayed, as if the shadows move just a breath too slow.
C. Finally, there was the tome that Starker thought dealt with the multiverse, planes, and connections between planes. This had bits of various languages. It may be lesser importance than the other two.
The book's pages are covered in text, diagrams, margin notes and other figures that appear to be arcane in nature. All of the writings are in languages you do not recognize or read. There are several languages used it seems. You also perceive that the writings are by different authors as the styles of writing are different.
/OOC: Let's go to the location in question. Xymox will use Comprehend Languages to see if that provides any insight.
So, headed to where?
Tomb, Level 1
It looks like a one hour duration but he need to touch the items. That makes the alter and book less appealing.
Can we start with column In location marked A-Then move to the location with alter and book, B&C?
Xymox gives a thumbs up.