Dragon of Icespire Peak ***CLOSED***

If the dwarves are not around: Connak will scoop the gems into his bag, not trying to hide it.  He'll make a 'shh' sign with finger to mouth at the others.

If the dwarves are around, he'll randomly grab a gem, sleight of hand: 9

The dwarves are already engaged in their early-morning bickering match in the hallway leading out of the temple room and have not realized that Connak successfully pocketed the gems.

Connak tells the others, "Let me make one more pass in the temple to see if I can find any more secret doors."  

Connak enters the hall looping around behind the altar and searches...

Perception: 17

... then heads into the north east room to search there as well.

Perception: 5

Barric's grim expression swiftly changes to a smile when he sees the gems. Nodding to Connak, he stays quiet, and begins to help him check into the nooks and crannies of the temple, enthusiasm stoked by the treasure they found.

Barric will assist Connak with his perception checks and investigation checks to search the ruin.

While everyone is searching Brutus uses the best thing he’s got, his strength.  He begins clearing out the pile of rubble that may or may not lead to something.

Connak and Barric indeed find another hidden door on the south wall of the room with the stone bed frames and another on the eastern wall of the corridor that runs behind the alter. Both doors are not locked,

Brutus makes himself happy with manual labor in the southeast room clearing rubble. Grateful for his assistance, the dwarves give him a hand. 

After thoroughly searching the ruins, Barric's excitement grows at the prospect of perhaps greater treasure. His earlier fear seems forgotten in the moment as he pushes open the northern door.

((Just using passive perception/investigation for traps. Opening the door closest to him on the battlemap))

Vaxis starts towards the cave entrance, looking to get an idea of the weather and other conditions outside.

Barric moves cautiously into the room to the south, which he surmises to be a small vestry. An empty stone font juts out of the southwest wall and a stone wardrobe against the east wall stands open displaying the rotted remains of two suits of red leather armor.

Emerging from the temple, Vaxis finds the weather to be cool and calm. A lone raven circles overhead before lighting on one of the rubble piles. It eyes him curiously for a moment as it flutters its wings. The bird lets out a single, emphatic “Caw! and then springs back into the air soaring through the small pocket canyon and out of sight.

Seeing nothing that interests him in the room, Barric glances over his shoulder for the dwarves. Relieved that they are still occupied, he makes his way to the next doorway, his curiosity only further peaked by the continuing passage.

((Barric will head to the door ahead of him. If not locked and not trapped (passive perc/inv), he will open the door)).

Barric discovers yet another narrow corridor. To the east, the tunnel has collapsed. To the west, the hallway comes to a dead end in what he believes must be the back side of another secret door identified by Connak. Ahead of him across the hall is another door leading elsewhere in the complex.

A fine layer of undisturbed dust completely covers the floor, leading Barric to believe that no creatures have walked this passage in many years.

Looking up, he sees little more than ancient cobwebs which undulate gently from the draft generated by the door as it was opened. The presence of the cobwebs indicates that no creatures have traversed the hallway via the ceiling.

Barric is uncertain if anything has “floated” down this hall recently...

Barric's burning curiosity cools as he stares into the undisturbed hallway. He battles for a few moments between caution and his desire to find more treasures outside the prying eyes of the dwarves. The memory of the skulls in the main room looms large, and the caution wins out. Backing up a few steps, he shouts behind him.

"Friends! Come! Connak and I have found a passage leading further inside."

“Brutus wipes his brow from lifting rocks and turns towards the dwarves.  “You should probably stay here, might not be safe.  I’ll be taking this.”  As he picks up the torch and tries to find his way to the voices of his companions.  Effectively playing ‘Marco polo’.  “Hello?” He shouts into the darkness as he makes his way back.

Connak will follow behind Barric, arrow nocked and keeping an eye out.  (just passive for now)

Connak is briefly overcome with feelings of intense desire for material possessions as an image of a jeweled dagger, pointing downward flashes through his mind. The fleeting thought quickly subsides as he shakes off the bizarre feeling and turns his attention back to Barric in front of him.

At the same time, Vaxis hears a barely perceptible dark voice whisper seemingly from within the temple behind him “Greeeeeeeeed.....”

Vaxis head vane stands on end. Of course the blessing didn't work, after all, they found a new passage.

Alarmed, Vaxis sprints towards his comrades, screaming, "The evil awakens within! Don't follow it, and wait for me!"

While running, he fumbles for his holy symbol, intent on keeping the evil at bay.

"May Bahamut have mercy on us all" he huffs as he gets near.

Brutus kind of spinning in circles wondering where to go next years the shouts of his friends and says “oh, there you are!”  And runs towards the sound of the screams.

Connak fights his own internal battle.  Find things to steal from the dwarves, or leave this creepy temple.  Whatever we do, we need to do it quick.

Connak will stand right behind Barric, ushering him onward into the unexplored parts.  "We need to hurry."

Scrambling to find his teammates, Brutus exits one secret door and enters another to find a partially collapsed hallway. The way is somewhat clear but the walls press in close forcing him to try to squeeze his way through - BRUTUS WILL HAVE TO DROP HIS TORCH AND MAKE A DEX CHECK TO CONTINUE DOWN THIS HALL (1 foot of movement requires 3 feet of your speed.)

Vaxis, also desperate to find the others, dashes through the secret door at the top and finds himself at the other end of this partially collapsed hall. He see the faint flicker of light poking through the choked passageway, but is otherwise bathed in darkness. (HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT IS IT BRUTUS ON THE OTHER END OF THIS HALL.)

Barric and Connak stand at the threshold of the vestry, staring into the undisturbed hallway at the closed door on the opposite side. They can faintly hear the shouts of Vaxis and Brutus getting louder.

Connak listens to the shouting and shakes his head...  He points the door down the hall to Barric and says, "I think they're over there.  Lets get them before they wake the dead with their shouting."