Erven and Ketangu disappear into the darkness, and the sound of brutal combat ensues where they re-slaughter a bunch of walking dead. They both come back covered in blood and zombie goo, and Kevori uses a bit of magic to clean them up.

Now that the way is clear, the party ventures into the graveyard, guided by Ariel and the orb of light that was conjured by Khessa. You make your way up the hill, until eventually you stand in front of the masoleum. The same view as Ariel relayed greets you in the flesh, and you stare at the marble edifice as it stands silent in the cold black night. Overhead, the moon has risen, and an autumn breeze blows through the trees, chilling you slightly. Autumn, the season of the harvest, has been in full swing for maybe a couple days now, and those of you accustomed to warmer climes are getting a bit cold in Neverwinter's northern atmosphere. 

The door to the masoleum is closed, and has no handle. What do you do?

if Icewind Dale is the north pole, then Neverwinter is like New Jersey or New York.

"The last time we found a door to the Cult's lair closed and without a handle," Khessa muses aloud "there was a magical means of opening it..."

The blonde arcane warrior looks around, trying to spot any decorations (like the skull where the eye gem was supposed to be inserted, on the previous occasion) or runes...

If the tall adventuress doesn't spot anything of the sort, she simply tries to place her hands on the door and push (or pull sideways - depending on whether the door has hinges to pivot on or a groove to slide in).

Khessa's Perception: 14

Tabitha would have 100% kept a hold of the eyeball from the last place, having attempted to study it to see how the magic worked. It then lay forgotten about inside her backpack. She spends a short time rooting around to find it, and then lifts it out having the same thought as Khessa. "Anyone remember the phrase that made this work when we last met. I have it somewhere in my notebooks but I would have to find which notebook it was back then, and then where it is in the notebook. Thats the problem when you make as many notes as I have...."

Khessa checks the notes she once made in her spellbook: "Ah, yes, there! 'Hail the undying' was the passphrase you used, Tabby!"

Erven steps up to the door listening, and also takes a look at it for any strange indentations or clues as to how it might open.  

Perception : 8

At the repeat of that passphrase, Erven turns his head clearing his throat and spits on the ground, a look of disgust on his face.  “Brings back bad memories.”  He stands at the ready for whatever may shamble forth once it opens.

Kit reaches under her cloak to her belt and pulls out the hilt and crosspiece of a finely made longsword... sans blade. She raises it to her face and lowers it to the side in a knightly salute. As she does so a blade, thin as a whisper, sharp as a razor, and glowing as if it were forged of purest sunlight, springs into existence.

Khessa confidently repeats the pass-phrase they learned all so many months ago. Nothing happens. Next, she tries to push open the door, and at the slightest touch it swings open all the way. Your way into the tomb is clear. What lays beyond has most likely not been touched for many a long year. It's a shame, but you shall have to disturb the sanctity of this tomb. Of course, if the family is connected to the cult, then it's not that much a shame.

You peer in from the door in the north, and beyond is a rectangular room maybe 20 by 30 ft. There is a staircase on the south-side that goes down into darkness. Along the western and eastern walls are six coffins, three to a side. The room itself is dark, until someone takes a step into it. Then, candles in small alcoves along the walls burst into flame, their fires the color of royal purple and sickly green.

"How nice of Vecna to light the way for us!" Khessa jokes. She summons a magic breeze towards the candles, to extinguish them (for she is afraid they might have cursed side effects).

If the blonde arcane warrior succeeds in extinguishing the candles, she then makes light with the flower she used previously and enters... starting to examine the nearest coffer. Looks like it can be easily opened?

"I see the disturbing candles are back. I rather not disturb the coffins, so I am going to head down the stairs" says Ketangu. He pauses every few steps half expecting something to leap out of the darkness. He hums a tune in his mind to remind him of happier times. 

Darkvision 

Perception

14 - rolled in game log

Kit watches the others with mild interest, hoping to see some signs of cohesion from the Underdark team and a role that that she might play in this newly reconstituted group.

"I'm fairly certain the people we're looking for aren't in those," Kit calls out to Khessa, "and if they are, then we've already failed."

'We're not grave robbers, after all,' she thinks...suddenly becoming very self-conscious of her shield. 

The now golden behelmeted and staff-wielding dark-haird young man raises and eyebrow at the highborn half-elf after her comment about his revelation. "I might ask you the same question." He says with sly smile as she in turn reveals her radiant blade." He says with some admiration in his green eyes.

"Indeed..." Jack says as the half-elf comments on the unlikelyhood of finding the prominents in those coffins. "...we don't want to disturb what is dead, am I right Erven?" He continues, glancing over at the scarred elf. "I suggest we focus on finding what we're here for." 

His tiny invisible accomplice would fly ahead to take a peek to warn the companions of any unwelcome suprises deeper into the mausoleum.

Stealth: 19
Perception: 9

(Suggested marching order: Erven, Ketangu, Khessa, Tabitha, Kit, Jack and Kevori. :-)

(Ugh...behind the Kitty-Cat and her Clink-Clank?!? Kit should be out in the front, right in the thick of the fighting! She absolutely should not, but good luck trying to explain that to her.)

"What, this old thing," Kit shoots back at Jack melodramatically, "It's been hanging in my closet for ages! I just never have a reason to get it out."

"Which begs the question what other dusty old things you have stored away in that closet." The behelmeted man says with a good-natured teasing smile. "Since we're amid something of a revelation competition here I will try to up you one." He continues, and then a gilded flower appears in his free hand, and with a motion in the air and a short sylvan incantation, another fey appears in front of him in a silvery cloud. "This is Shadowwhisk, another...ehm...valued companion of mine." He says, and the scythe-wielding fey gives you all a scrutinizing look before taking position near her master.

Kit seems a bit taken aback by the dangerous looking Fey and her brutal scythe.

"Greetings Shadowwhisk," she offers in Sylvan with a bow as she quickly regains her composure.

"In that case, I don't suppose you have much use for me back here after all," she says with the smooth snarkiness of an High Elven courtier as she moves forward next to Erven.

"Shall we then, Kin-Brother," she asks in Elvish.

"I agree with everything you're saying," Khessa concedes "but if the occupants of these coffins have the same trouble resting as their fellows outside that we just dealt with, I'd rather fix them here and now... That seems preferable to me, rather than giving them the chance to get up and come and bother us in the future, perhaps at a time when we're less prepared".

"Nice to meet you, Shadowwhisk!" the blonde arcane warrior smiles at yet another ally "You share my passion for big weapons, huh? Very well! Better for the enemies to feel it, when we hit them".

Erven exhales slightly as the foul greenish candles are put out, he pauses for a second with a memory as he does so.  Then he comes to and feels reassured in the dark, wearing it like a warm blanket.  He says “pardon me” gently to Ketangu, then takes lead in the front if allowed.  He turns to Jack and says “Quite right.  Let’s let them be and move forward.  I will kill anything that arises unnaturally, but I don’t want to seek trouble either.”  He pauses for a second, smiling, taking in the fey, “Shadowwhisk… delighted!  So fierce!”  

Erven turns to Kit, saying very kindly in elvish, “Let me scout ahead, just a bit.  I’ll need your strong arm soon enough I imagine, but let me assess the situation and go in prepared..your armor, can be.. a little noisy.  Let me get a little ahead of you.”  Erven heads forward about 20 feet ahead, giving a thumbs up, then disappearing in the shadows.  

Stealth : 31

Perception : 19

The quickling stays silent but gives the team a sly smile, her fey aura brimming with mischievousness, ready to dart forward to assist the scarred elf at the first signs of trouble.

Quote from Twombley >>

Erven turns to Kit, saying very kindly in elvish, “Let me scout ahead, just a bit.  I’ll need your strong arm soon enough I imagine, but let me assess the situation and go in prepared..your armor, can be.. a little noisy.  Let me get a little ahead of you.”  Erven heads forward about 20 feet ahead, giving a thumbs up, then disappearing in the shadows.  

 Kit looks down at her studded leather with mild bemusement and then, in a fit of pique, glamours it to look like a suit of chainmail.

With a sigh, she turns her attention to Ketangu and Khessa.

"I don't suppose either of you would like some company?"

"Of course I like company!" Khessa smiles. "I was so happy to have some in the Underdark! I don't see why it should be any different here!" and makes room for Kit at her side.