Yarina rises smoothly from where she had rested, rolling her shoulders as the familiar strength surges back through her limbs. As the others rejoin her in the icy chamber, she reports her findings.
“Something big burrowed through here, breaking solid rock like it was nothing.”She lets her hand trail lightly over the rough-hewn wall.
Eldrin steps quietly up beside Yarina, his fingers laced behind his back as he surveys the gaping hole torn through ancient stone. His expression is unreadable at first, though his eyes flicker with a scholar’s curiosity.
“Something with immense strength, or driven by more than muscle alone,” he murmurs, kneeling near the broken edge.
He glances over his shoulder toward the others, then back to the tunnel.
“A creature capable of burrowing through stone.”
He rises to his feet, gaze now fixed beyond the breach as if trying to see through the darkness itself. “Either way, it went somewhere. And left this, for us to wonder.”
Then, to the group, in a quieter voice: “I would see where it leads. If we are ready.”
Nature check to glean more information concerning the type of creature that could be responsible: 11
When Garethcomes out to join in her in the hallway, Meirahad just finished her tuning and was idly plucking at the strings. "I couldn't help but hear what you said to Lyra earlier about being 'taken'. You're married? Or just... you have someone?" She asks without looking over at him, still seeming focused on her dulcimer. "If you are 'taken' though, what brings you wandering about by yourself?"
She begins to play a few notes of a melody, but lets it die out as she notices others are starting to stir to leave soon. Her head finally turns to look directly at the ranger, to see if he might respond to her questions.
Zephyros dodges the worst of the first icy explosion, but the next two hit him hard. He winces from the pain of it as blood begins to flow from several wounds. Seeing the threat extinguished, he nods at his allies, "Well fought." He manages to say through gritted teeth.
He then pulls out some bandages from his pack and begins to bind his wounds and staunch the heaviest bleeding. He sees Eldrin and Yarina discussing the hole in the wall and walks over to them to say, "Some things are better left to the dark. We should leave while we still can." The armored warrior stands there, waiting for a decision. Ready to be the first into the bowels of darkness should the group decide it wise, but clear he doesn't believe it is.
The grizzled bear of a man still looks pretty scratched and bruised, blood runs down his arms in several places he failed to bandage, but his demeanor makes every effort to hide the pain he still feels from his wounds.
As you inspect the hole, you think back on your studies on burrowing creatures. Several come to mind, but a few such as the infamous Purple Worm are dismissed immediately as logic and reason assist in your thought process. This hole could have been created by an Umber Hulk, Earth Elemental, Xorn, Young Dragon, or something else you haven't read about in your studies. Unfortunately, you can't be sure what tore through this stone so easily.
Assisted by your darkvision, you see the hole veers to the South and has a downward slope to it, descending into darkness.
Eldrin doesn't answer Zephyros right away. He remains still, staring down into the sloping tunnel carved through raw stone, the cold still clinging faintly to the air around them. His eyes narrow, tracing the jagged edges of the passage, following where it disappears into shadow.
“I understand,” he says at last, his voice quiet, deliberate. “You’ve bled for this ruin, and more than once. And I don’t dismiss that.”
He straightens, adjusting the sleeve of his robe. “But I’ve spent my life reading about things like this. Whatever did this, it broke through dwarven stonework as if it were paper. That kind of force doesn’t move at random.”
His gaze shifts to Zephyros now, calm but insistent. “We came here to learn, to uncover what was hidden. Something ancient slumbers deeper still, and this...” he gestures toward the tunnel— “this isn’t just an accident. It’s a clue. Perhaps a threat. Perhaps something worse.”
He glances back at the others, then adds more quietly, “But I’ll not drag anyone further than they wish to go. I’ve no desire to see more blood spilled needlessly.” Then, with a faint breath of irony: “We rest. We weigh risk. I would like to know what stirred the stone.”
Then he steps aside, standing at the edge of the tunnel. Waiting. Patient, but already beginning to weigh the possibilities in his mind.
"Last I checked," Zephyros calmly states. "Our mission was to warn the common folk of a dragon sighting."
Ironheart adds, "If something tore through stone as if it was paper, who says it won't do the same to us?"
The veteran pauses and ponders for a minute before mentioning, "If you do really want to find out where or what this tunnel leads to, then I'll gladly follow you inside. But I will remind you that we can always come back later, more prepared."
Whether Garethhad responded or not, Meira rises to her feet, stretching a bit after the rest. Hearing Eldrinand Zephyrostalking, she heads back into the room. "Well, are we continuing? The dwarves did ask us to clear the place out. Though I bet they only knew about the one chamber and the oozes. I think we should at least look. If we're quiet in our approach, then hopefully we can back out if there is something truly dangerous down there." She moves closer to the hole in the wall. "I may be the stealthiest. I suppose I could go take a look first. If you want."
"I don't love the idea of going after something that can move through raw stone like it's paper," Lyra begins. "Especially since a few of you are still hurt, and I'm almost out of spells myself. But if you go first and take a careful look, that might work. Here, let me help."
The cleric approaches Meira to give her the same blessing she gave Yarina a while ago. "Be one with the shadows, Meira."
Blessing of the Trickster on Meira.
Blessing of the Trickster. Starting when you choose this domain at 1st level, you can use your action to touch a willing creature other than yourself to give it advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. This blessing lasts for 1 hour or until you use this feature again.
As you move down the narrow tunnel, you notice the ice getting thinner the deeper you go until the ice disappears completely. While still very cold, it's less so as you leave the room. You come to an opening in the side of the tunnel to your right while the tunnel continues and veers down steeply. You fear losing your footing if you continue to follow the tunnel and possibly slide down it into the darkness. You stop to inspect the opening to your right. It appears to open into a new area of the temple. Entering the room reveals two statues. A statue on the Southern wall lies shattered and broken, almost as if the statue itself exploded. An alcove to the North holds a statue of a dwarf with horns, which stares greedily at a glowing green gem in its hands.
Everyone,
As Meira disappears down the tunnel, so too does your light source. The bitter cold in this room seems all the worse as the tiny flame withdraws from view.
You light another torch. This time, the open flame does provide the group some much-needed warmth in this icy room. The ice around you begins to melt, running down the walls and dripping from the ceiling. An occasional drip sizzles on the torch as you hold it aloft.
Meira stops and takes a moment to just look around the room. Her first thought is that taking that tempting emerald might lead to the same sort of explosion that seemed to shatter the other statue. She isn'tgoing to take any chances.
She will take a few careful steps to see if there are other exits, maybe even hidden ones. (Perception: 21)
With that she heads back, pausing to look and listen at the spot where the tunnel descends steeply. (Perception: 20)
Then she heads back to the others.
(She contiues to try to stay quiet. If needed, Stealth: 13)
(OOC - About how far did she travel to get to this other room?)
Looking around the room, you do spot an exit from the room heading West. However, this hallway ceiling is caved in and is choked with rubble. Pausing to listen at the tunnel, you can hear a slight breeze whistling through the tunnel and the sounds of dripping water, but not much else. The musky smell is a bit more prominent here, and you sense the earthy smell is being carried up the tunnel in the breeze.
You have traveled roughly 75 feet to arrive at the temple room. The tunnel veers down sharply another 10 feet past that.
Meira walks back up the tunnel to where the others are located. "There's another part of the temple we can access this way, about 75 feet to get there. Plus, the tunnel drops steeply just past that room. There used to be an entrance to the room from the east. But it's caved in now. I didn't see any signs of any creature."
She waits to see what the others have to say. But then she quickly adds, "Forgot to mention the statue of the horned dwarf staring at a glowing green gem. And across from it, a statue that looked like it exploded."
Eldrin’s head tilts slightly at Meira’s final comment, the faintest flicker of interest Crosses his face.
“A horned dwarf and a shattered twin,” he echoes softly, more to himself than the others. “Glowing gem, arcane focus, or trap trigger perhaps. Or sometimes a gem is just a gem.”
He glances back at the others, tone cool but measured. “I suggest we examine the room. Carefully. If there's a clue to what tore through this place, it may begin there.”
Then he starts walking, quietly but with purpose, drawing his cloak tighter around him against the lingering cold. “If nothing else, I'd like to know why a statue exploded.”
Gareth nods at Lyra and shows her the portrait inside the locket. "This is my wife, Sylvie," he says proudly. "She's back in Neverwinter."
The ranger's expression takes on a more serious expression than is usual for him. "I've always had a wandering spirit. I don't like to be still for too long or stuck in one place. Sylvie understands that, although I know she probably prefers I was home a bit more often. I'm not always gone though. I go off for a few weeks on what I call my hunting trips, looking for monsters and beasts. I collect trophies and well, anything else valuable from a kill usually, and I sell it. You'd be surprised how much some folk are willing to pay for a gnoll's ear or a troll's toe. It's a good living."
Gareth follows Meira back into the freezing room and gazes at the mysterious crack in the wall while the others debate what to do.
"Be careful," he says to Meira's retreating form as she ventures into the tunnel.
Gareth shrugs at Eldrin's words. "Well, we did come all this way."
((1 HD used for +11 HP, back to full!))
Yarina rises smoothly from where she had rested, rolling her shoulders as the familiar strength surges back through her limbs. As the others rejoin her in the icy chamber, she reports her findings.
“Something big burrowed through here, breaking solid rock like it was nothing.” She lets her hand trail lightly over the rough-hewn wall.
Eldrin steps quietly up beside Yarina, his fingers laced behind his back as he surveys the gaping hole torn through ancient stone. His expression is unreadable at first, though his eyes flicker with a scholar’s curiosity.
“Something with immense strength, or driven by more than muscle alone,” he murmurs, kneeling near the broken edge.
He glances over his shoulder toward the others, then back to the tunnel.
“A creature capable of burrowing through stone.”
He rises to his feet, gaze now fixed beyond the breach as if trying to see through the darkness itself. “Either way, it went somewhere. And left this, for us to wonder.”
Then, to the group, in a quieter voice: “I would see where it leads. If we are ready.”
Nature check to glean more information concerning the type of creature that could be responsible: 11
When Gareth comes out to join in her in the hallway, Meira had just finished her tuning and was idly plucking at the strings. "I couldn't help but hear what you said to Lyra earlier about being 'taken'. You're married? Or just... you have someone?" She asks without looking over at him, still seeming focused on her dulcimer. "If you are 'taken' though, what brings you wandering about by yourself?"
She begins to play a few notes of a melody, but lets it die out as she notices others are starting to stir to leave soon. Her head finally turns to look directly at the ranger, to see if he might respond to her questions.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Dex save 1: 18
Dex save 2: 8
Dex save 3: 5
Hit die heal: 9
Zephyros dodges the worst of the first icy explosion, but the next two hit him hard. He winces from the pain of it as blood begins to flow from several wounds. Seeing the threat extinguished, he nods at his allies, "Well fought." He manages to say through gritted teeth.
He then pulls out some bandages from his pack and begins to bind his wounds and staunch the heaviest bleeding. He sees Eldrin and Yarina discussing the hole in the wall and walks over to them to say, "Some things are better left to the dark. We should leave while we still can." The armored warrior stands there, waiting for a decision. Ready to be the first into the bowels of darkness should the group decide it wise, but clear he doesn't believe it is.
The grizzled bear of a man still looks pretty scratched and bruised, blood runs down his arms in several places he failed to bandage, but his demeanor makes every effort to hide the pain he still feels from his wounds.
Eldrin,
As you inspect the hole, you think back on your studies on burrowing creatures. Several come to mind, but a few such as the infamous Purple Worm are dismissed immediately as logic and reason assist in your thought process. This hole could have been created by an Umber Hulk, Earth Elemental, Xorn, Young Dragon, or something else you haven't read about in your studies. Unfortunately, you can't be sure what tore through this stone so easily.
Assisted by your darkvision, you see the hole veers to the South and has a downward slope to it, descending into darkness.
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
Eldrin doesn't answer Zephyros right away. He remains still, staring down into the sloping tunnel carved through raw stone, the cold still clinging faintly to the air around them. His eyes narrow, tracing the jagged edges of the passage, following where it disappears into shadow.
“I understand,” he says at last, his voice quiet, deliberate. “You’ve bled for this ruin, and more than once. And I don’t dismiss that.”
He straightens, adjusting the sleeve of his robe. “But I’ve spent my life reading about things like this. Whatever did this, it broke through dwarven stonework as if it were paper. That kind of force doesn’t move at random.”
His gaze shifts to Zephyros now, calm but insistent. “We came here to learn, to uncover what was hidden. Something ancient slumbers deeper still, and this...” he gestures toward the tunnel— “this isn’t just an accident. It’s a clue. Perhaps a threat. Perhaps something worse.”
He glances back at the others, then adds more quietly, “But I’ll not drag anyone further than they wish to go. I’ve no desire to see more blood spilled needlessly.” Then, with a faint breath of irony: “We rest. We weigh risk. I would like to know what stirred the stone.”
Then he steps aside, standing at the edge of the tunnel. Waiting. Patient, but already beginning to weigh the possibilities in his mind.
"Last I checked," Zephyros calmly states. "Our mission was to warn the common folk of a dragon sighting."
Ironheart adds, "If something tore through stone as if it was paper, who says it won't do the same to us?"
The veteran pauses and ponders for a minute before mentioning, "If you do really want to find out where or what this tunnel leads to, then I'll gladly follow you inside. But I will remind you that we can always come back later, more prepared."
Whether Gareth had responded or not, Meira rises to her feet, stretching a bit after the rest. Hearing Eldrin and Zephyros talking, she heads back into the room. "Well, are we continuing? The dwarves did ask us to clear the place out. Though I bet they only knew about the one chamber and the oozes. I think we should at least look. If we're quiet in our approach, then hopefully we can back out if there is something truly dangerous down there." She moves closer to the hole in the wall. "I may be the stealthiest. I suppose I could go take a look first. If you want."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
"I don't love the idea of going after something that can move through raw stone like it's paper," Lyra begins. "Especially since a few of you are still hurt, and I'm almost out of spells myself. But if you go first and take a careful look, that might work. Here, let me help."
The cleric approaches Meira to give her the same blessing she gave Yarina a while ago. "Be one with the shadows, Meira."
Blessing of the Trickster on Meira.
Blessing of the Trickster. Starting when you choose this domain at 1st level, you can use your action to touch a willing creature other than yourself to give it advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. This blessing lasts for 1 hour or until you use this feature again.
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra | Jadzia
Without waiting for any further input, Meira quietly slips into the passageway, her lantern providing light. (Stealth: 15)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Meira,
As you move down the narrow tunnel, you notice the ice getting thinner the deeper you go until the ice disappears completely. While still very cold, it's less so as you leave the room. You come to an opening in the side of the tunnel to your right while the tunnel continues and veers down steeply. You fear losing your footing if you continue to follow the tunnel and possibly slide down it into the darkness. You stop to inspect the opening to your right. It appears to open into a new area of the temple. Entering the room reveals two statues. A statue on the Southern wall lies shattered and broken, almost as if the statue itself exploded. An alcove to the North holds a statue of a dwarf with horns, which stares greedily at a glowing green gem in its hands.
Everyone,
As Meira disappears down the tunnel, so too does your light source. The bitter cold in this room seems all the worse as the tiny flame withdraws from view.
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
Yarina lights another of her torches if possible.
Yarina,
You light another torch. This time, the open flame does provide the group some much-needed warmth in this icy room. The ice around you begins to melt, running down the walls and dripping from the ceiling. An occasional drip sizzles on the torch as you hold it aloft.
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
Meira stops and takes a moment to just look around the room. Her first thought is that taking that tempting emerald might lead to the same sort of explosion that seemed to shatter the other statue. She isn'tgoing to take any chances.
She will take a few careful steps to see if there are other exits, maybe even hidden ones. (Perception: 21)
With that she heads back, pausing to look and listen at the spot where the tunnel descends steeply. (Perception: 20)
Then she heads back to the others.
(She contiues to try to stay quiet. If needed, Stealth: 13)
(OOC - About how far did she travel to get to this other room?)
For DM
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Meira,
Looking around the room, you do spot an exit from the room heading West. However, this hallway ceiling is caved in and is choked with rubble. Pausing to listen at the tunnel, you can hear a slight breeze whistling through the tunnel and the sounds of dripping water, but not much else. The musky smell is a bit more prominent here, and you sense the earthy smell is being carried up the tunnel in the breeze.
You have traveled roughly 75 feet to arrive at the temple room. The tunnel veers down sharply another 10 feet past that.
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
Meira walks back up the tunnel to where the others are located. "There's another part of the temple we can access this way, about 75 feet to get there. Plus, the tunnel drops steeply just past that room. There used to be an entrance to the room from the east. But it's caved in now. I didn't see any signs of any creature."
She waits to see what the others have to say. But then she quickly adds, "Forgot to mention the statue of the horned dwarf staring at a glowing green gem. And across from it, a statue that looked like it exploded."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Eldrin’s head tilts slightly at Meira’s final comment, the faintest flicker of interest Crosses his face.
“A horned dwarf and a shattered twin,” he echoes softly, more to himself than the others. “Glowing gem, arcane focus, or trap trigger perhaps. Or sometimes a gem is just a gem.”
He glances back at the others, tone cool but measured. “I suggest we examine the room. Carefully. If there's a clue to what tore through this place, it may begin there.”
Then he starts walking, quietly but with purpose, drawing his cloak tighter around him against the lingering cold. “If nothing else, I'd like to know why a statue exploded.”
Gareth nods at Lyra and shows her the portrait inside the locket. "This is my wife, Sylvie," he says proudly. "She's back in Neverwinter."
The ranger's expression takes on a more serious expression than is usual for him. "I've always had a wandering spirit. I don't like to be still for too long or stuck in one place. Sylvie understands that, although I know she probably prefers I was home a bit more often. I'm not always gone though. I go off for a few weeks on what I call my hunting trips, looking for monsters and beasts. I collect trophies and well, anything else valuable from a kill usually, and I sell it. You'd be surprised how much some folk are willing to pay for a gnoll's ear or a troll's toe. It's a good living."
Gareth follows Meira back into the freezing room and gazes at the mysterious crack in the wall while the others debate what to do.
"Be careful," he says to Meira's retreating form as she ventures into the tunnel.
Gareth shrugs at Eldrin's words. "Well, we did come all this way."
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf - Lvl. 4 Halfling Rogue (The Shattered Obelisk) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan - Lvl. 10 Half-Elf Sorcerer (Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick - Lvl. 4 Aasimar Paladin (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Selene Albion - Lvl. 12 Human Ranger (In-Person Homebrew Campaign) ♦ Phaerdra Tor'viir - Lvl. 3 Drow Wizard (Exandria Sandbox Campaign)
Eldrin gives a brief nod at Gareth’s reply, the corners of his mouth twitching into something not quite a smile, more the faint shadow of approval.
“Indeed,” he says. “And it would be a shame to leave with only half the story told.”