And Savage Attack won't be invoked.

Probably 17 total, MAYBE 25.

(Yes, if it says unable to parse dice roll, normally if you go back in with an edit and add a space at the end of the roll it will work when you save the changes. Don't ask me why lol)

The ape thingies fall at the feet of Tristan and Larry, thoroughly skewered and dead. Now that two giant ape demons aren't in your way, you can see a short hallway to the left with a padlocked door. This padlock is actually locked.

"Nasty beasts!" Khessa comments, as the last opponent collapses to the ground.

The blonde arcane warrior then approaches Ozus and checks his condition: "How are you, my friend? Do you need rest? Or more healing? Those guys really didn't like you..." she winks, trying to joke, while she takes a Healing Kit out of her backpack and tries to soothe the bruises with compresses [[ OOC: It's just role-play; Khessa can stabilize the dying with the Healing Kit, not improve the conditions of those who are simply injured. But it seems reasonable to assume that the treatment can at least ease the pain a little, even if it doesn't actually restore HP to the character ]].

The tall adventuress is obviously also intrigued by the padlocked door - glad that this is not, after all, a dead end... but at the moment her first concern is for the friend who has just been beaten almost to death!

Ozus collects himself, still battered, but at least no longer actively bleeding out. He looks from where he had fallen, to Tristian. His gaze lingers for a moment, before his attention snaps back to the rest of the room. "Couldn't have gone smoother!" He says, his usual devil-may-care tone returning as he dusts himself off. "Though I admit, death was quite a bit colder than I expected."

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Does anything stand out about either the names or the plaques themselves?

I'm thinking an investigation check but lmk

(Nothing in particular...it looks like the beasts were just amusing themselves scratching out the nameplates)

Tristan:

”I am glad the warmth of Kiri Joleth was sufficient to bring you back from death’s embrace,” says Tristan.  He dismounts and offers to help Ozus back to his feet.

if Ozus takes his hand, he receives more healing as the power flows through the holy warrior.

Cure Wounds Level 3:  28

Ozus hesitates, before brushing the offered hand aside. "I intend no offense." He says, helping himself up. "It just wouldn't do to waste divine magic on one already damned. Save your energies. Besides..." He pulls out his viol. "I've got my own healing, if you'll permit a few minutes." 

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Ozus is going to spend the next few minutes using magical cunning to regain a pact slot and using a charge on his canaith mandolin to cast cure wounds :15

"Death is not only colder than we expect, or remember, but she is also heartless and remorseless.  I recommend avoiding her as long as possible."

Seeing Ozus recover, Khessa encourages him with a final pat on the back, then dedicates herself to examining the plates - and their names.

The blonde arcane warrior tries to understand what those plates could be and what they could be used for. And tries to see if any of the plates bear the names of the hostages still to be found.

Quote from hustonjj >>

"Death is not only colder than we expect, or remember, but she is also heartless and remorseless.  I recommend avoiding her as long as possible."

 Ozus can't help but chuckle. "How eloquent. Though I'm afraid I meant it a little more literally. Contrary to popular belief,  the hells aren't completely covered in flames." 

(No names of hostages...this just seems to be a crypt filled with long dead Baldurians)

Khessa quickly loses interest in the names of the long dead Baldurians and focuses on the padlock: "Perhaps there's another hostage in here to free, friends! Does our 'lock expert' want to keep up his exercise routine?" she winks.

"I feel like I'm being summoned, or pushed, or some-such.  Is that what it feels like to be a popular Bard and have people clamoring for a specific song?"  Larry chuckles at his own joke as he moves up and readies his tools.  As normal, the first step is to look for traps, though he hasn't really seen any here.  The next is to double-check whether the pad lock is actually locked or not.  Less commonly a problem with padlocks, but it never hurts to check.  And only then will he move on to attempting to open the lock.

Is it safe? 24

Disarm attempt (if required): 23

Open Lock attempt (if required): 32

Larry is fairly certain there are no traps, and by this point these locks are child's play. In mere seconds the lock falls opened into his palm. 

Ozus lets out an unusually genuine laugh. Its bubbly, and comes from his chest. Its probably the friendliest noise he's made so far. It seems that focusing on playing his instrument has brought a unique sense of calm to him, a strange juxtaposition to his previously tense and guarded demeanor. Whatever magic he used to heal himself is distinctly different from whatever power he'd been drawing from before, and seems to take much less of a toll. "That's exactly what it feels like. One of the few benefits of playing on the road. We were never in one place long enough to get too popular. Can't take requests if no one knows the songs name."

It's subtle, but as he continues playing his viol, a bittersweet tone slips into the notes of his music, though he seems unaware.

Khessa is intrigued by the bittersweet tone... she would gladly stay a while to listen to it... but not while there are hostages to be freed from the clutches of cruel cultists!

The blonde arcane warrior, then, pats Larry on the shoulder: "You are definitely my most successful summon!" she winks. She then takes a little magical precaution, then opens the door.

The tall adventuress really hopes that locked in there is another of the hostages to be freed...

This crypt smells like a sewer. A woman sits on a mattress atop a low shelf, her once-fine clothing in tatters and a silk scarf wrapped around her face. She looks up at the party warily, pulling the scarf a little tighter while her narrowing eyes scan each of you. She says nothing, waiting in silence, though she leans slightly back from you.

Tristan:

”Another person abducted by the cult?” asks Tristan kindly,  “Lord Neverember sent us to rescue you,”

Persuasion:  28

He looks carefully at the prisoner—does she match the description of one of the missing people?  Is she only pretending to be a prisoner so she can infiltrate their group?

Insight:  20

Khessa smiles at the prisoner, without approaching so as not to scare her further, weaving the threads of the mystical Weave to improve the condition of the poor woman's clothes a little: "Nice to meet you - and to save you! I am Khessa, Khessa Cabbagefield! Are you by any chance Indrina Lamsensettle, the famous actress? Anyway, it's as my friend Tristan says, Dagult sent us! We've already freed Umberto and Sarcelle! What do you say?" she winks "Are you coming with us too? Or were you enjoying this stay?"

The woman looks at you quizzically for a moment, then nods slowly. Yes...I am Indrina. Please...get me out of here. This smell is going to kill me.

Tristan doesn't detect any deceptions.