So if you’re checking the mirrors before moving on, you say each password in order and each mirror reveals a different scene:
A: This first mirror again reveals the Earth Node within the grotto where you arrived.
B: A view of an abandoned building in Pedestal.
C: A view of the Oceanbridge, the more recently damaged part clearly visible.
D: A view of another abandoned building in Pedestal. This one contains the familiar visage of the crazed Drow Numa. He charters away to himself in the corner.
E: A view outside an entrance of a large tunnel, you can see the city in front of the lake in the distance.
F: A view of inside the grounds of Dusklorn Mansion. Irennaste is talking to the two guards from outside the Spike.
If you wish you could listen in on any of the mirrors. Otherwise I’ll advance you forward down this next tunnel.
So if you’re checking the mirrors before moving on, you say each password in order and each mirror reveals a different scene:
F: A view of inside the grounds of Dusklorn Mansion. Irennaste is talking to the two guards from outside the Spike.
If you wish you could listen in on any of the mirrors. Otherwise I’ll advance you forward down this next tunnel.
Xanrymwould like to wait a minute to listen to what Irennaste and the guards are saying, assuming that they're speaking Elvish and not Undercommon. (Xanrym is not currently concentrating on Comprehend Languages.) But he doesn't want to delay too long: Xanrym will feel better about exploring beyond the next door if Syllen is still in his Chalice Starry Form.
Xanrym is just trying to get a sense of whether The Company is going to have trouble with House Dusklorn when they try to leave the Necromancer's Spike. He asks Syllen, the party's only Elf, for his Insight into Irennaste's mood and response to the guards.
Khessa observes carefully and tries to memorize the locations, in case the party finds them later.
The blonde arcane warrior agrees with Xanrym to eavesdrop on Irennaste, though without wasting too much time, for the same reasons as the bard. She also diligently notes this powerful divinatory magic in her spellbook.
Afterward, the tall adventuress is ready to lead the party beyond the secret door.
Theldrin is also curious to hear what Irennaste is saying if the conversation is in Elvish, never having really trusted the Drow to not betray the Company at his first opportunity.
You listen in on Irennaste's conversation, his now grizzled face contorting in rage at what he's being told, "...and you let them in? You fools! No I did not give them permission to enter the Spike. They are not our allies, we have a truce with The Company of the Grey Chain, that is all. They are far too powerful, intelligent, and... good, to ever let our guard down. The Necromancer's Spike... I wonder what they want in there?" He turns to a high ranking military looking drow next to him, "Get together a troop, we will meet the Company when they come out of the Spike and take whatever it is they've found in there, and find out how they got in. This might be the chance House Dusklorn has been waiting for; perhaps we can use this new opportunity to truly take control over the Spike... and achieve the power my mother was never able to grasp."
"Very interesting" Khessa sighs. "When we're done here, we need to remember to either find a different exit... or lure House Dusklorn's troops into the destruction room, perhaps by telling them we've deactivated the ward to initially gain entry (a lie that should be perfectly believable)."
"But first things first," the blonde arcane warrior prepares to continue exploring. "Let's find Fadheela."
You listen in on Irennaste's conversation, his now grizzled face contorting in rage...
Xanrym lets out a tense sigh and says, "Thank the Weaver of Our Fate that we were scrying on Irennaste for that conversation." He agrees with the others, "Yes, it's good to know what's ahead: we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, we continue our pursuit of Fadheela."
Xanrym is ready to move through the secret door to the next room. It seems like The Company is still on the path to the most valuable / protected part of Necromancer's Spike, and if the others don't mind waiting another minute, Xanrym offers to check the next door for traps. He isn't sure whether Maroe would think the Mirror Shade and Glass Spiders sufficient guardians or whether they should expect additional obstacles as they go. So far, The Company hasn't really found any mundane traps in the Necromancer's Spike, but Xanrym knows now that he should also be looking for tiny glyphs and diamond dust.
Xanrym notices no traps as you all head south and open in the door at the end of the hallway to enter the next room. A large set of double doors, banded in silvery metal and made of black stone, dominates the eastern wall of this otherwise empty chamber. Simpler stone doors are set in the northern (where you came in) and southern walls near the western corners. The trail you've been following, that of footprints made within the last few months, seem to go in and out of each door. It is unclear which way this person finally went.
Xanrym suggests, "Shall we try the more elaborate doors?" He checks the double doors for traps and listens to check whether he can hear Fadheela or anyone else through them. He guesses that if any door they've found would be trapped, it would be these doors.
Khessa agrees with the bard: "Yes, Xanrym... the more elaborate doors seem more promising... they must protect something precious and may have enticed Fadheela to take up residence beyond it."
As soon as he finishes his investigations, the blonde arcane warrior opens the large set of double doors.
Syllen hears no sounds coming from either room, and Xanrym finds no traps as he opens the large doors to the east. You step out into a rectangular bare antechamber, except for a low, dry font in it's center. A small door is set in the center of the southern wall, while dusty black curtains stretch across a wide archway to the east. You see through a gap in the curtains, atop a low, rectangular dais on the far wall squats a basalt altar.
Khessa has the distinct impression that this might be the prey's lair. It looks like a ritual area... and therefore potentially useful to the infamous Fadheela.
The blonde arcane warrior signals her friends to stop and summons Anator from her pocket dimension. Communicating telepathically with her brother, she sends him first on a quick reconnaissance flight through the current room, so that his Blindsight can spot any threats undetectable by the others, then into the room beyond the curtain... at which point she concentrates on 'perceiving' the world through the bat's senses.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(OOC: Assuming that we all eventually enter the room with the font and are positioned as shown on the map...)
Finding himself by the door to the south, Xanrym checks that door while Anator scouts the room to the east. He listens for any sounds or signs of life or movement on the other side of the door. From what he can see through the curtained archway, the room to the east looks quite large, but it reminds him of Ellesarwa's torture chamber. In the drow's cutthroat society, he imagines that every high-ranking and powerful drow elf must have their own personal shrine to curry favor with the Demon Queen of Spiders...or, at least, to prevent Lolth from favoring their rivals.
While he waits and listens, Xanrym wonders whether Fadheela was able to shepherd any guards into the Necromancer's Spike or whether she's living here alone. If the room with the font is the vestibule of the shrine, then the door to the south might be a sort of guardroom, and Xanrym wouldn't want to leave a staffed guardroom at their backs. Or perhaps it's just the personal quarters of the shrine's priestess, who was hopefully killed long ago in the Plagueburst.
(OOC: Assuming that we all eventually enter the room with the font and are positioned as shown on the map...)
Finding himself by the door to the south, Xanrym checks that door while Anator scouts the room to the east. He listens for any sounds or signs of life or movement on the other side of the door....
Xanrym also keeps an eye and ear on the door to the east, just in case he sees or hears any sign of movement or life from that direction first. (He really doesn't want to face a spellcaster while the whole Company is crammed into this small room!)
So if you’re checking the mirrors before moving on, you say each password in order and each mirror reveals a different scene:
A: This first mirror again reveals the Earth Node within the grotto where you arrived.
B: A view of an abandoned building in Pedestal.
C: A view of the Oceanbridge, the more recently damaged part clearly visible.
D: A view of another abandoned building in Pedestal. This one contains the familiar visage of the crazed Drow Numa. He charters away to himself in the corner.
E: A view outside an entrance of a large tunnel, you can see the city in front of the lake in the distance.
F: A view of inside the grounds of Dusklorn Mansion. Irennaste is talking to the two guards from outside the Spike.
If you wish you could listen in on any of the mirrors. Otherwise I’ll advance you forward down this next tunnel.
Xanrym would like to wait a minute to listen to what Irennaste and the guards are saying, assuming that they're speaking Elvish and not Undercommon. (Xanrym is not currently concentrating on Comprehend Languages.) But he doesn't want to delay too long: Xanrym will feel better about exploring beyond the next door if Syllen is still in his Chalice Starry Form.
Xanrym is just trying to get a sense of whether The Company is going to have trouble with House Dusklorn when they try to leave the Necromancer's Spike. He asks Syllen, the party's only Elf, for his Insight into Irennaste's mood and response to the guards.
Khessa observes carefully and tries to memorize the locations, in case the party finds them later.
The blonde arcane warrior agrees with Xanrym to eavesdrop on Irennaste, though without wasting too much time, for the same reasons as the bard. She also diligently notes this powerful divinatory magic in her spellbook.
Afterward, the tall adventuress is ready to lead the party beyond the secret door.
Theldrin is also curious to hear what Irennaste is saying if the conversation is in Elvish, never having really trusted the Drow to not betray the Company at his first opportunity.
Upon Xanrym's request Syllen will attempt to gain insight into Irennaste’s conversation with the guards by listening to the mirror.
Insight Roll: 25
You listen in on Irennaste's conversation, his now grizzled face contorting in rage at what he's being told, "...and you let them in? You fools! No I did not give them permission to enter the Spike. They are not our allies, we have a truce with The Company of the Grey Chain, that is all. They are far too powerful, intelligent, and... good, to ever let our guard down. The Necromancer's Spike... I wonder what they want in there?" He turns to a high ranking military looking drow next to him, "Get together a troop, we will meet the Company when they come out of the Spike and take whatever it is they've found in there, and find out how they got in. This might be the chance House Dusklorn has been waiting for; perhaps we can use this new opportunity to truly take control over the Spike... and achieve the power my mother was never able to grasp."
"Very interesting" Khessa sighs. "When we're done here, we need to remember to either find a different exit... or lure House Dusklorn's troops into the destruction room, perhaps by telling them we've deactivated the ward to initially gain entry (a lie that should be perfectly believable)."
"But first things first," the blonde arcane warrior prepares to continue exploring. "Let's find Fadheela."
Syllen nods at Khessa's suggestion.
“We should have the advantage considering they can not rush in after us and we know their plan. As of now I do agree we need to deal with Fadheela.”
Xanrym lets out a tense sigh and says, "Thank the Weaver of Our Fate that we were scrying on Irennaste for that conversation." He agrees with the others, "Yes, it's good to know what's ahead: we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, we continue our pursuit of Fadheela."
Xanrym is ready to move through the secret door to the next room. It seems like The Company is still on the path to the most valuable / protected part of Necromancer's Spike, and if the others don't mind waiting another minute, Xanrym offers to check the next door for traps. He isn't sure whether Maroe would think the Mirror Shade and Glass Spiders sufficient guardians or whether they should expect additional obstacles as they go. So far, The Company hasn't really found any mundane traps in the Necromancer's Spike, but Xanrym knows now that he should also be looking for tiny glyphs and diamond dust.
Perception / Investigation: 15 - checking the door at the end of the hallway for traps
Xanrym notices no traps as you all head south and open in the door at the end of the hallway to enter the next room. A large set of double doors, banded in silvery metal and made of black stone, dominates the eastern wall of this otherwise empty chamber. Simpler stone doors are set in the northern (where you came in) and southern walls near the western corners. The trail you've been following, that of footprints made within the last few months, seem to go in and out of each door. It is unclear which way this person finally went.
Xanrym suggests, "Shall we try the more elaborate doors?" He checks the double doors for traps and listens to check whether he can hear Fadheela or anyone else through them. He guesses that if any door they've found would be trapped, it would be these doors.
Perception / Investigation: 26
Khessa agrees with the bard: "Yes, Xanrym... the more elaborate doors seem more promising... they must protect something precious and may have enticed Fadheela to take up residence beyond it."
As soon as he finishes his investigations, the blonde arcane warrior opens the large set of double doors.
Theldrin nods in agreement, and will prepare for a skirmish as soon as the doors are opened, readying a Fire Bolt.
Syllen nods in agreement and will take a second to listen for any sounds coming from the rooms.
Perception Roll: 16
Syllen hears no sounds coming from either room, and Xanrym finds no traps as he opens the large doors to the east. You step out into a rectangular bare antechamber, except for a low, dry font in it's center. A small door is set in the center of the southern wall, while dusty black curtains stretch across a wide archway to the east. You see through a gap in the curtains, atop a low, rectangular dais on the far wall squats a basalt altar.
Khessa has the distinct impression that this might be the prey's lair. It looks like a ritual area... and therefore potentially useful to the infamous Fadheela.
The blonde arcane warrior signals her friends to stop and summons Anator from her pocket dimension. Communicating telepathically with her brother, she sends him first on a quick reconnaissance flight through the current room, so that his Blindsight can spot any threats undetectable by the others, then into the room beyond the curtain... at which point she concentrates on 'perceiving' the world through the bat's senses.
(OOC: Assuming that we all eventually enter the room with the font and are positioned as shown on the map...)
Finding himself by the door to the south, Xanrym checks that door while Anator scouts the room to the east. He listens for any sounds or signs of life or movement on the other side of the door. From what he can see through the curtained archway, the room to the east looks quite large, but it reminds him of Ellesarwa's torture chamber. In the drow's cutthroat society, he imagines that every high-ranking and powerful drow elf must have their own personal shrine to curry favor with the Demon Queen of Spiders...or, at least, to prevent Lolth from favoring their rivals.
While he waits and listens, Xanrym wonders whether Fadheela was able to shepherd any guards into the Necromancer's Spike or whether she's living here alone. If the room with the font is the vestibule of the shrine, then the door to the south might be a sort of guardroom, and Xanrym wouldn't want to leave a staffed guardroom at their backs. Or perhaps it's just the personal quarters of the shrine's priestess, who was hopefully killed long ago in the Plagueburst.
Perception / Investigation: 20
Xanrym also keeps an eye and ear on the door to the east, just in case he sees or hears any sign of movement or life from that direction first. (He really doesn't want to face a spellcaster while the whole Company is crammed into this small room!)
Avery being wary, observes their surroundings: Perception: 20
Theldrin stands by with Fire Bolt ready in case the party is attacked.