Marasatra inclines her head to Sarris’s prompt. “Very well—give me a moment.” She braces her ash-wood staff against the wall, the tiny scalpel affixed to its ferrule. With practiced calm she draws the blade across the side of her thumb; a single dark bead wells up. Catching it on the scalpel’s edge, she lets the drop mingle with a smear of silvery ink in her palm, then kneels and inscribes a palm-sized sigil on the flagstones: a skeletal quill poised over an open ledger.

As the rune completes, her cloak shifts with a fleeting twitch—something small adjusting beneath the folds—while she whispers a litany in Jergal’s tongue. The blood-ink flares emerald, threads of light curling upward and sinking into her widened pupils. She exhales, the cut sealing of its own accord, and rises in one smooth motion, staff in hand, eyes faintly luminescent as she begins a slow, deliberate circuit of the chamber, the ritual of Detect Magic in full effect. She turns to Zim, “Take the lead south; I’ll keep the spell active for another few minutes.”

Sarris and Zim wait at the door leading south as the group resets for exploring 'new terrain'.

"Zim, have you seen any signs of our ninja night visitors?  I have yet to see a sign they were ever here - aside from the bodies displayed outside."

Quote from Kol_Drake >>

Sarris and Zim wait at the door leading south as the group resets for exploring 'new terrain'.

"Zim, have you seen any signs of our ninja night visitors?  I have yet to see a sign they were ever here - aside from the bodies displayed outside."

Zim searches for signs of tracks, signs of struggle, and says, "Maybe our dragon-friends cleared everything out of here?"

"Sounds like, we did the smart thing not engaging them" Gorin mentions

Marasatra sees no sign of recent magic in the area, nor in the next room they enter. All that is present in the room is a single rat, scurries around in the corner.

(To check if any went this way, roll for Survival.)

Sarris   Survival Check:  23       {game log}

Quote from Kol_Drake >>

Sarris   Survival Check:  23       {game log}

 

 The dust here has been only slightly disturbed. With only the rat tracks you can spot going about it. There show no signs of any foot traffic coming down this way.

Sarris is in 'tracker mode'; attempting to pick any small sign of passage by others.   

Seeing nothing but rat tracks, he will continue westward his full movement (35 ft)... not far enough to reach the stairs but far enough to be aware they are coming up shortly.

If he senses nothing of import, he will signal for the others to move forward.

Perception Check:  16

Marasatra huffs under her breath as they inch forward. “Hells, these passages make the Lower Library’s folio shelves feel like ballroom promenades,” she mutters, rising on tiptoe to glimpse past Zim’s shoulder—only to meet a wall of armored backs. “I swear I’d learn more from the heel prints than the view.”

With an irritated flick of her wrist she extends a forearm. The cloak’s lining ripples; a walnut-sized bulge scampers to her cuff and a tiny bat unfurls, glossy wings brushing her cheek before flitting into the stale air. “Seek me clearer air, Ekko,” she murmurs. The little bat darts from her sleeve and flits between armored shoulders, but not venturing near Sarris at the point, then loops in a tight circuit just above the rear ranks—an extra pair of ears and eyes where hers can’t reach. Marasatra releases a slow breath in her position within the cramped column.

"So, Sarris you mean the dragon people haven't been here? Than we should definitely be extra causious." Gorin says from the back of the line.

"Either they have not been here -or- they are using some magical means to not disturb the area with their passage,"  Sarris spoke softly to Gorin.  "Extra caution is a wise suggestion."

Survival:  14

Pushing forward, Sarris will gain the steps and stop before the flooded hallway.  Kneeling down, he will do a sniff test and touch a pinkie to the fluid to see if it is safe to continue.

Perception:  26

The area still shows no sign of recent passage. The murky waters smell the same foulness as the other flooded halls. The waters ripple for a moment at your pinkie before settling once more.

Sarris will slowly move down into the water flooded corridor.  Trying to make the smallest of ripples... if that is even possible when slogging through contained water.

Nothing reacts, at the end of the water filled hall is a door, partially submerged in the water.

Perception:  12

Sarris slowly examines the door at the end of the corridor; looking for any glyphs, possible lock picking scratch marks, suspicious holes or potential needle jabbers while the rest of the party advances to join him.

 "Some one with a bit more finesse with locks or very thick skin and muscles might be better suited to address this door."

Gorin can have a look if no one steps up in front of him. ((dm can gorin use intelligence for the picking? Using his knowledge of locks and mechanisms he created as a craftsman to try and get it to open)) 

The door is wooden and somewhat rotting due to the water. There seems to be no wires, glyphs, or the like connected to the door. And it lacks a lock, leaving it able to be opened.

"Watch your fingers.  Just to be on the safe side... maybe nudge it open with a dagger or sword?"  Sarris whispers from behind Gorin.

Gorin had his thieves tools ready when he tries the door handle. As it opens he looks at Sarris "Really? You didn't try the handle? " before he slows opens the door further. 

"I am a ranger.  I work in woodlands and forests. Sometimes as a guard on wagon trains when I need income." 

Sarris turns to look straight at Gorin, "Yes, I did not touch a door handle that might be trapped.  Next time I shall apply a swift kick to announce our arrival."   

A grin not grim but full of implied mirth meets Gorin's scrutiny.

Sarris makes a sweeping gesture, "After you, kind sir."