(Bump)

(OOC: Was hoping someone else would have some feedback on the not dying talk!)

Your group reassembles on the far side of the now identifiable spike trap and follows the stairs down, revealing a long staircase that descends deeper into the earth. As you proceed down the stairs, the chanting grows louder and louder until you turn the corner to find yourselves facing a large room, fifteen feet from side to side and stretching out a full twenty five feet from the entrance. Around the perimeter are thirteen niches carved into the stone, each with an object set on display. On the right hand side as you face the entrance, two segments of wall don't have niches, but instead have pathways into the wall. From the one furthest from the entrance, you can finally make out the words: "He is the Ancient. He is the Land."

Ongoing Map:

Turning to his companions, Milamber shakes his head in a frustrated manor. "Sounds like a cult or demon summoning. We need to stop this before they take it too far and more innocents die."

"Well then, let's get to it,"says Rosa. He heads to the doorway, trying to peek around the corner to see what's going on. Looking for traps. 

(What roll is that?)

"Carefully, there could be more traps". Tengen scans as far ahead as she can looking for signs of anything definite from the direction of the chanting whilst she moves with the rest of the group. 

Grythek readies his swords and says nothing, hoping to be able to end that summoning before it ends. 

Muirdan gently taps Rosa on the shoulder and murmurs another prayer, thinking that after such a fall the poor boy could use all the Guidance he can get.

(Let's go ahead with a Perception and a Stealth roll.)

 Perception 6

Stealth 11 + Guidance 4

(Wooooooooooooooooowwwwww, what is with these stealth rolls?)

Muirdan creeps up 10 feet behind Rosa and stage whispers “so what do you see?”

(Perception 13

Stealth13)

You make your way to the tunnel, this time carefully searching for traps as you go, happy to find that none await you. As you reach to the furthest doorway, you can see that the ground slopes sharply downwards and leads into a shallow pool of murky water with a rusty portcullis preventing you from moving further. You can see through the grating into a room beyond with a ceiling soaring high overhead out of sight from where you are. In the middle you can see a dais, but not much else beyond that. The chanting continues.

"Should I lift it?" asks Rosa. "Or do we find another way around?"

“Lad, you just took a nasty knock,” begins Muirdan.  “If we lift it, let somebody else have a try.”  He moves to the portcullis, but looks to others for confirmation before lifting.

Rosa will acknowledge that by stepping about 5 feet back to give him some room.

Muirdan nods and spits on his hands, rubbing them together.  Muttering a prayer to Dumathoin for Guidance, he grips the bottom of the portcullis and lifts.

Creeping closer Milamber prepares a spell in case they are recognized. He feared what strange and fell magics could be beyond. 

Stealth: 8

(Super stealthy apparently lol)

Muirdan grips the bottom of the rusty portcullis and can't get it to budge! Perhaps it would be easier with multiple people or some further searching this wicked place would reveal a switch or a control or some mystical means of lifting the gate.

Milamber looks around hoping there was no spirits or anything else coming through the walls and carefully examines each wall near the portcullis. 

Perception:

8

(Can't sneak or see things apparently)

"My back!" exclaims Muirdan, as the portcullis refuses to budge.  Seeing Milamber seemingly looking at nothing, he asks "want to give me a hand with this?"