The Company returns to the mausoleum. You proceed down the stairs to the hallway below. All goes well until Starker passes through the archway at the base of the stairs. The runes and inset gems of the arch flare with energy and a bolt lances outwards towards Starker. He is able to react well to dodge a full on strike, DEX save = 15. He suffers 8 force damage as he passes through the arch into the hallway.
The skull with glowing eyes still pulses rhythmically with the ropey flames writhing through the translucent black floor. The book and chalice remain on the altar. The books pages flipping and turning in a seemingly random fashion.
The remaining corpse there is untouched from the last time you were here. A cold, forboding atmosphere fills the room. You feel as though you are being watched. You find the area of writing that you were previously unable to decipher. Xymox casts Comprehend Languages and touches the runes. He then translates:
𐍈𐌁𐍄 𐌅𐍈𐌕𐌂𐌄𐌍 𐌅𐍉𐌃𐌄𐍃
𐍉𐌍𐌁𐍄 𐍉𐍃 𐌆𐌄𐍃𐌕 𐍃𐌅𐌋𐌉𐌂𐍉𐌍𐌄𐍃
𐌂𐌋𐌄𐌂𐌋𐌄𐍃 𐌂𐌌𐌋𐍄 𐍄𐌂𐍈𐌕𐌄𐌂
𐌍𐍄𐌁𐌄𐍃 𐌕𐍉𐌄𐌂𐌈𐌄 𐍃𐌌𐌍𐌄𐍃
Here lies the will of Illiandil made stone, Not his tomb, nor resting throne. Wisdom cloaked in cursed fire, Greed will wake the buried ire.
Starker:”Fascinating. Why me and not Xymox? If it is because I took the gem from the siver box on the altar why did it not affect me the first time I went through? I have never touched that gem, having just dropped it in the bad using Mage Hand. If it is the ruby I took from the hand, then perhaps we have our answer aboit the plurality of you. We should have translated it “y’all”.”
Xymox: "I'll do whatever you think is best, master warlock. Tell me, all of you, exactly what you believe needs to be done and I shall give it my best performance."
“I spoke my truth and the silver box opened revealing this gem. <opens backpack, shows gem> and that door over there opened. Certainly noise seems to influence and perhaps provoke both the hot and cold versions of the under-floor guardians .
”I think we should take Colleague Kragen up on his offer of Silence the next time we enter a room with these types of floors.
”Also, I think I am now marked with a glyph of greed. Can any of you remove this stigmata?
“Finally, we have been in here for many hours and I, at least, need a long rest to recover my health and replenish my thaumaturgical reserves. I suggest we have our battlemasters pick a tactically favorable room and that we all rest.”
I think it reaffirms what our “denial and error” approach have taught us.
Starker unsealed the door here by speaking his true story. He also mentioned that the in the freezing room upstairs seemed to trigger from sound.
And the earlier bit about greed waking the ire. Well… Starker figured that bit out too. Perhaps you or I should give him some healing and try the approach upstairs after casting silence.
We could try to have Xymox translate the notes from the tome. But honestly, I would as soon burn the damn thing.
Finally, When we do return upstairs- I wonder if it would be wise to relieve ourselves of unearned gems. Probably too late ifornthise of us marked with greed but if we heal Starker now there is a good chance we will need to repeat it -or pull out the hornets- in a few moments.
“I spoke my truth and the silver box opened revealing this gem. <opens backpack, shows gem> and that door over there opened. Certainly noise seems to influence and perhaps provoke both the hot and cold versions of the under-floor guardians .
”I think we should take Colleague Kragen up on his offer of Silence the next time we enter a room with these types of floors.
”Also, I think I am now marked with a glyph of greed. Can any of you remove this stigmata?
“Finally, we have been in here for many hours and I, at least, need a long rest to recover my health and replenish my thaumaturgical reserves. I suggest we have our battlemasters pick a tactically favorable room and that we all rest.”
Xymox: "Excellent work, Starker! I also, could use a long rest. Most of my spell ability has been depleted. "
Yartol looks up at Starker’s mention of making camp, “I have not seen anywhere safe to make camp in this place. Everything seems to be bent on killing us.”
I would agree. We have been successful in holding up in a safe spot in dungeons before, but the honeycomb ceilings all over this place have me worried that those flaming skulls we encountered on the way in here might have friends. Being ambushed seems a lot more likely when it comes from above, and we are resting. Would either of you benefit from a short rest?
/OOC Do we have Leomund's Tiny Hut? It might help make it safer. But across the river is probably a better option if we need a full rest.
I would agree. We have been successful in holding up in a safe spot in dungeons before, but the honeycomb ceilings all over this place have me worried that those flaming skulls we encountered on the way in here might have friends. Being ambushed seems a lot more likely when it comes from above, and we are resting. Would either of you benefit from a short rest?
/OOC Do we have Leomund's Tiny Hut? It might help make it safer. But across the river is probably a better option if we need a full rest.
Xymox can cast Leomunds tiny hut. Memorized fit this very reason!
"I do not want to rest in this place unless we have some security against the evil that prevails here. However, if we rest outside, we will need to secure our means of re-entering. I have the same desires as Master Trolkarl does, i want to see this evil and this placed purged from the land."
to Xymox "I am unfamiliar with this type of magic, however it sounds powerful. Do you believe it will protect us from harm during our rest?"
"If most of use can benefit from a short rest, then i have a spell which provides both healing powers and restores some level of energy similar to the short rest. That could be another option? However, i do not gain as much as others due from a rest. I must rest fully to regain Tyr's divine powers."
Another question for Xymox "Can you read the runes above the threshold going to the 2nd level? The threshold that smote Mage Starker for his curiosity."
To Yartol & Kragen (what is Tiny Hut, and will it protect us?)
“Leomund’s Tiny Hut is a fixed, domed ward—ten-foot radius, opaque from outside, comfy inside. Nothing passes through—steel or spell. It’s a fine shell to sleep in, but not a fortress: enemies can loiter just beyond, so we post watches. It is an evocation spell."
“Think of it as a portable pavilion of ‘no, thank you.’ We rest; the world can glare from outside. If something tries to dispel it, we’ll know—so we keep a contingency ready.”
“I can bolster a short rest with a song, but my spells prefer a full night behind the Hut. If we risk sleeping here, we do it under the dome, under Silence if possible, and with rotating eyes on those honeycomb ceilings.”
To Kragen (on the riddles and what they imply)
"Master cleric, This is only speculation, but after some thought..."
“We’ve three threads to weave: truth opens, silence quenches, greed enrages. So: speak truth to unlock, bring Silence to the frost-skull room, and stop grabbing shiny things we haven’t earned.”
“The poetry isn’t subtle. Sound feeds the cold ward, confession fed the box, and avarice trips the arch. Our path is: vow truth, move quiet, travel light.”
Kraken looks to the others “I am willing to over come my apprehension about remaining here if the group feels it best?”
”before we rest, wherever that may be, it would be prudent to conduct any further experiments needing arcane abilities before we do so. Such as proving silence would be a means avoiding harmful cold conditions and also utilizing any healing capabilities to help those injured recover.”
”I am prepared to assist with what remaining capabilities I have at my disposal”
Starker:”I will set down the gems and try to cross the threshold that abhors ‘greed’ again to see if that works, and am happy to do so now. I will assert that in a very real sense I ‘earned’ both gems, but the portals and its mechanical appreciation of fine moral distinctions might not concur.”
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The Company returns to the mausoleum. You proceed down the stairs to the hallway below. All goes well until Starker passes through the archway at the base of the stairs. The runes and inset gems of the arch flare with energy and a bolt lances outwards towards Starker. He is able to react well to dodge a full on strike, DEX save = 15. He suffers 8 force damage as he passes through the arch into the hallway.
The skull with glowing eyes still pulses rhythmically with the ropey flames writhing through the translucent black floor. The book and chalice remain on the altar. The books pages flipping and turning in a seemingly random fashion.
The remaining corpse there is untouched from the last time you were here. A cold, forboding atmosphere fills the room. You feel as though you are being watched. You find the area of writing that you were previously unable to decipher. Xymox casts Comprehend Languages and touches the runes. He then translates:
𐍈𐌁𐍄 𐌅𐍈𐌕𐌂𐌄𐌍 𐌅𐍉𐌃𐌄𐍃
𐍉𐌍𐌁𐍄 𐍉𐍃 𐌆𐌄𐍃𐌕 𐍃𐌅𐌋𐌉𐌂𐍉𐌍𐌄𐍃
𐌂𐌋𐌄𐌂𐌋𐌄𐍃 𐌂𐌌𐌋𐍄 𐍄𐌂𐍈𐌕𐌄𐌂
𐌍𐍄𐌁𐌄𐍃 𐌕𐍉𐌄𐌂𐌈𐌄 𐍃𐌌𐌍𐌄𐍃
Here lies the will of Illiandil made stone,
Not his tomb, nor resting throne.
Wisdom cloaked in cursed fire,
Greed will wake the buried ire.
Yartol offers, "Perhaps we should stop passing through that archway so often."
Starker:”Fascinating. Why me and not Xymox? If it is because I took the gem from the siver box on the altar why did it not affect me the first time I went through? I have never touched that gem, having just dropped it in the bad using Mage Hand. If it is the ruby I took from the hand, then perhaps we have our answer aboit the plurality of you. We should have translated it “y’all”.”
(( Correct. Because the plural of that is ‘All y’all’. ))
Xymox your call about the alter and tome.
It might be useful.
Xymox: "I'll do whatever you think is best, master warlock. Tell me, all of you, exactly what you believe needs to be done and I shall give it my best performance."
Very well, let’s proceed to the alter and see what the gold inscription is about.
The phrase on the altar Asqg zaqxslx moxsltxz dtx iudtpayx. Asqg dyodt osqilez dtx zxuqxw zioq
Translates to:
“Master Bard, helpful I think” pauses to reflect and look to Trolkarl and Starker “any thoughts on putting this together and what the riddles imply?”
Starker:”Well done again, Bard Xymox!!
“I spoke my truth and the silver box opened revealing this gem. <opens backpack, shows gem> and that door over there opened. Certainly noise seems to influence and perhaps provoke both the hot and cold versions of the under-floor guardians .
”I think we should take Colleague Kragen up on his offer of Silence the next time we enter a room with these types of floors.
”Also, I think I am now marked with a glyph of greed. Can any of you remove this stigmata?
“Finally, we have been in here for many hours and I, at least, need a long rest to recover my health and replenish my thaumaturgical reserves. I suggest we have our battlemasters pick a tactically favorable room and that we all rest.”
I think it reaffirms what our “denial and error” approach have taught us.
Starker unsealed the door here by speaking his true story. He also mentioned that the in the freezing room upstairs seemed to trigger from sound.
And the earlier bit about greed waking the ire. Well… Starker figured that bit out too. Perhaps you or I should give him some healing and try the approach upstairs after casting silence.
We could try to have Xymox translate the notes from the tome. But honestly, I would as soon burn the damn thing.
Finally, When we do return upstairs- I wonder if it would be wise to relieve ourselves of unearned gems. Probably too late ifornthise of us marked with greed but if we heal Starker now there is a good chance we will need to repeat it -or pull out the hornets- in a few moments.
Xymox: "Excellent work, Starker! I also, could use a long rest. Most of my spell ability has been depleted. "
Yartol looks up at Starker’s mention of making camp, “I have not seen anywhere safe to make camp in this place. Everything seems to be bent on killing us.”
I would agree. We have been successful in holding up in a safe spot in dungeons before, but the honeycomb ceilings all over this place have me worried that those flaming skulls we encountered on the way in here might have friends. Being ambushed seems a lot more likely when it comes from above, and we are resting. Would either of you benefit from a short rest?
/OOC
Do we have Leomund's Tiny Hut? It might help make it safer. But across the river is probably a better option if we need a full rest.
Xymox can cast Leomunds tiny hut. Memorized fit this very reason!
“What kind of magic is that, Xymox,” Yartol asks.
"I do not want to rest in this place unless we have some security against the evil that prevails here. However, if we rest outside, we will need to secure our means of re-entering. I have the same desires as Master Trolkarl does, i want to see this evil and this placed purged from the land."
to Xymox "I am unfamiliar with this type of magic, however it sounds powerful. Do you believe it will protect us from harm during our rest?"
"If most of use can benefit from a short rest, then i have a spell which provides both healing powers and restores some level of energy similar to the short rest. That could be another option? However, i do not gain as much as others due from a rest. I must rest fully to regain Tyr's divine powers."
Another question for Xymox "Can you read the runes above the threshold going to the 2nd level? The threshold that smote Mage Starker for his curiosity."
Xymox:
To Yartol & Kragen (what is Tiny Hut, and will it protect us?)
“Leomund’s Tiny Hut is a fixed, domed ward—ten-foot radius, opaque from outside, comfy inside. Nothing passes through—steel or spell. It’s a fine shell to sleep in, but not a fortress: enemies can loiter just beyond, so we post watches. It is an evocation spell."
“Think of it as a portable pavilion of ‘no, thank you.’ We rest; the world can glare from outside. If something tries to dispel it, we’ll know—so we keep a contingency ready.”
“I can bolster a short rest with a song, but my spells prefer a full night behind the Hut. If we risk sleeping here, we do it under the dome, under Silence if possible, and with rotating eyes on those honeycomb ceilings.”
To Kragen (on the riddles and what they imply)
"Master cleric, This is only speculation, but after some thought..."
“We’ve three threads to weave: truth opens, silence quenches, greed enrages. So: speak truth to unlock, bring Silence to the frost-skull room, and stop grabbing shiny things we haven’t earned.”
“The poetry isn’t subtle. Sound feeds the cold ward, confession fed the box, and avarice trips the arch. Our path is: vow truth, move quiet, travel light.”
Kraken looks to the others “I am willing to over come my apprehension about remaining here if the group feels it best?”
”before we rest, wherever that may be, it would be prudent to conduct any further experiments needing arcane abilities before we do so. Such as proving silence would be a means avoiding harmful cold conditions and also utilizing any healing capabilities to help those injured recover.”
”I am prepared to assist with what remaining capabilities I have at my disposal”
Starker:”I will set down the gems and try to cross the threshold that abhors ‘greed’ again to see if that works, and am happy to do so now. I will assert that in a very real sense I ‘earned’ both gems, but the portals and its mechanical appreciation of fine moral distinctions might not concur.”