Nikk considers arguing, but ultimately decides it's not worth the breath. He quietly nods in assent, but decides to cast a Magic Detection spell on the fly. With such limited vision, any old rubble could be hiding something vastly greater, disguised as nothing. He'd rather not risk missing a book or scroll, perhaps a tablet inscribed with something thar could lead to a new ritual incantation. He's practically drooling at the thought.
When they near the door along the south wall, Pisgah will motion to Nikkitch to try moving quietly. Stealth roll of 11. At the door, he will stop and listen for any sounds coming from the other side Perception roll of 17.
He is also looking for any more Dwarven runes or carvings as they go along and is trying to puzzle out why the fresco would be in that room.
Jaja: It seems none of the spiders are big enough to make a sound.
Moving up to the door on the south wall, there is no sound to be heard beyond, and Nikk doesn't detect anything magical either. Nothing points to it being trapped or tampered with.
However, at this distance, Pisgah hears a low rumble from behind the double doors at the eastern end of the hallway. It sounds a little bit like the purring of a cat, if the cat were oversized. Could also be something large, snoring.
Pisgah taps Nikk on the shoulder, wing, uhm well he taps him, putting his finger to his lips he motions at the double doors and then mimes walking back to the group at the other end of the hallway.
He starts walking back, Stealth roll 16, trying to be quiet.
When he gets back to the others, he tells them what he saw down the southern hall, about the noise behind the double doors, and that he didn't hear anything else from the smaller door.
But Nikkitch isn't with him going back to the group. His curiosity is overwhelming him. He has snuck away from Pisgah and is quietly scoping out the end of the hall. His stealth isn't perfect, as he's still carrying a torch, but he's at least quiet. He scans the rest of the grand hall, checking for doors, traps, hidden caches, and yes, hidden magic treasures.
Nikkitch (Perception: 10, Investigation: 22) gets up to the double door quietly, encountering nothing extraordinary on the way, and determines that there is likely an arcane protection spell present. Your detect magic alerts you of the presence of abjuration magic, on the door itself. Knowing what to look for, you see the faint outlines of a rune on the door, covering a large area. From your studies of the arcane, this sort of spell usually has a trigger, such as opening the door they're inscribed upon.
You're aware of the existence of spells such as glyph of warding, but this, this is more powerful and likely very dangerous.
Having confirmed what he set out to find, Nikkitch quietly returns to a perhaps disapproving group. In Jaya's tones, he relates of a door guarded by magic and potentially concealing something worthwhile. Still using the guard's voice, he posits with a simple "Now what?"
To the west, you determine the rough room layouts easily.
In the room adjoining the long hallway with the statues, six pillars pockmarked with tiny indentations stretch the length of the hall. An alcove in the northwest corner contains a rusty pile of armor. In the room to the north from the pillar room, you spot a corpse of a human lying facedown on the floor next to a discarded scimitar, a light crossbow, and a money pouch.
There is a corridor going off into the darkness towards a southern direction.
Nikk, Rico and Canti (Passive Investigation): you easily deduce based on the manner of the dress and the smudged makeup, that this must have been one of the bandits. Since you all are also trained in arcane matters, it is easy to identify that rusty suit of armor as having once belonged to an animated armor. Thanks to detect magic you can be sure that all magic has faded from the construct.
Jaya and Pisgah (Passive Perception): Muffled voices from the door in the southern wall tells you that the "vampires" are probably back in their private quarters. Otherwise, it's quiet here.
Rico comments, "The passage heading South may connect to the passage that was heading East just South of where we first encountered the bandits. Though even if it does, it will quite likely have other possible paths as well."
Without waiting for the others, Nikkitch heads for the dead marauder. There are a few questions he'd like to ask it. But first, he peers around the corner to ensure there're no other nasty surprises hidden in the northern room.
Looking towards the ceiling, is the west covered with spider webs also?
(Missed that, my bad) Yes, the spiderwebs cover the whole of the statue hallway and a little bit of the adjoining rooms, but pretty much stop in the pillar room.
The corpse shudders as the spell grabs hold. You see it's mouth flapping open as if drawn by strings and a low moan crawls its way out of the useless windpipe. It's ready to answer the five questions.
Jaya will hang back with Rico, watching the ceiling. “Maybe we should light those webs on fire? Or get the hell out of this hallway.”
Rico will discard her torch when it burns out, and let Steel replace his torch from the ones in his backpack (noted as used).
Nikk considers arguing, but ultimately decides it's not worth the breath. He quietly nods in assent, but decides to cast a Magic Detection spell on the fly. With such limited vision, any old rubble could be hiding something vastly greater, disguised as nothing. He'd rather not risk missing a book or scroll, perhaps a tablet inscribed with something thar could lead to a new ritual incantation. He's practically drooling at the thought.
[Cast Detect Magic, non-ritual]
[Adding Perception Roll to Investigation: 15]
When they near the door along the south wall, Pisgah will motion to Nikkitch to try moving quietly. Stealth roll of 11. At the door, he will stop and listen for any sounds coming from the other side Perception roll of 17.
He is also looking for any more Dwarven runes or carvings as they go along and is trying to puzzle out why the fresco would be in that room.
Jaya will put the horn to his ear and point it up at the ceiling/webs and listen. Perception 14
Jaja: It seems none of the spiders are big enough to make a sound.
Moving up to the door on the south wall, there is no sound to be heard beyond, and Nikk doesn't detect anything magical either. Nothing points to it being trapped or tampered with.
However, at this distance, Pisgah hears a low rumble from behind the double doors at the eastern end of the hallway. It sounds a little bit like the purring of a cat, if the cat were oversized. Could also be something large, snoring.
Pisgah taps Nikk on the shoulder, wing, uhm well he taps him, putting his finger to his lips he motions at the double doors and then mimes walking back to the group at the other end of the hallway.
He starts walking back, Stealth roll 16, trying to be quiet.
When he gets back to the others, he tells them what he saw down the southern hall, about the noise behind the double doors, and that he didn't hear anything else from the smaller door.
But Nikkitch isn't with him going back to the group. His curiosity is overwhelming him. He has snuck away from Pisgah and is quietly scoping out the end of the hall. His stealth isn't perfect, as he's still carrying a torch, but he's at least quiet. He scans the rest of the grand hall, checking for doors, traps, hidden caches, and yes, hidden magic treasures.
[Stealth: 22 the(18{+4})]
Nikkitch (Perception: 10, Investigation: 22) gets up to the double door quietly, encountering nothing extraordinary on the way, and determines that there is likely an arcane protection spell present. Your detect magic alerts you of the presence of abjuration magic, on the door itself. Knowing what to look for, you see the faint outlines of a rune on the door, covering a large area. From your studies of the arcane, this sort of spell usually has a trigger, such as opening the door they're inscribed upon.
You're aware of the existence of spells such as glyph of warding, but this, this is more powerful and likely very dangerous.
Having confirmed what he set out to find, Nikkitch quietly returns to a perhaps disapproving group. In Jaya's tones, he relates of a door guarded by magic and potentially concealing something worthwhile. Still using the guard's voice, he posits with a simple "Now what?"
“Let’s check to the west? A door that may bring us back to the vamps and two corridors that way?”
Looking towards the ceiling, is the west covered with spider webs also?
"West is as good as north or south for now. The corridor down to the south contains a door but I didn't approach it."
Heading off to the west, Pigsah goes about 30ft took look ahead. Perception 7.
To the west, you determine the rough room layouts easily.
In the room adjoining the long hallway with the statues, six pillars pockmarked with tiny indentations stretch the length of the hall. An alcove in the northwest corner contains a rusty pile of armor. In the room to the north from the pillar room, you spot a corpse of a human lying facedown on the floor next to a discarded scimitar, a light crossbow, and a money pouch.
There is a corridor going off into the darkness towards a southern direction.
Nikk, Rico and Canti (Passive Investigation): you easily deduce based on the manner of the dress and the smudged makeup, that this must have been one of the bandits. Since you all are also trained in arcane matters, it is easy to identify that rusty suit of armor as having once belonged to an animated armor. Thanks to detect magic you can be sure that all magic has faded from the construct.
Jaya and Pisgah (Passive Perception): Muffled voices from the door in the southern wall tells you that the "vampires" are probably back in their private quarters. Otherwise, it's quiet here.
Rico comments, "The passage heading South may connect to the passage that was heading East just South of where we first encountered the bandits. Though even if it does, it will quite likely have other possible paths as well."
Without waiting for the others, Nikkitch heads for the dead marauder. There are a few questions he'd like to ask it. But first, he peers around the corner to ensure there're no other nasty surprises hidden in the northern room.
[Passive Investigation]
[Perception: 21 (17{+4})]
Nikk: Nothing nasty to be spotted, only some small spiderwebs. The room is nearly featureless.
(Missed that, my bad)
Yes, the spiderwebs cover the whole of the statue hallway and a little bit of the adjoining rooms, but pretty much stop in the pillar room.
Nikkitch approaches the corpse. Turning it over, he mutters the words necessary to Speak to the Dead, gesturing to the body before him.
The corpse shudders as the spell grabs hold. You see it's mouth flapping open as if drawn by strings and a low moan crawls its way out of the useless windpipe. It's ready to answer the five questions.
"Are there. Other. Groups besides. Harria's. And Uktarl's?"
The corpse rasps: "Yes. The Xanathar guild is here too."