A chill went up Sickle’s spine, the animal form now gone. “Acererak. That name again. What was that about?”

Sickle begins to explore the room with the others, paying special attention to the shields and the rock.

Whoever this person was, he has treasures from across the world. There is a lovely wine flask that looks of Sembian make, a bejeweled Amnian double with matching money pouch, a fine Cormyrean cloak, a gilded Moonshae harp, three cushions covered in Turami silk.  There are thirty gemstones in a clay urn, 150 platinum in an unlocked wooden chest, 350 gold and 900 silver scattered across the floor, and a froghemoht statuette made of painted wood with three amethyst gemstones for eyes. The final puzzle cube is here as well. 

The door out of here is definitely the backside of a secret door.  Otherwise, there doesn't seem to be any other hidden or secret stuff in here that you're able to find.

"What's the plan then...  Do we take everything here?  As is, it would slow us down, but we could take, stow it for later and come get it when we finish this job.  Though, if anything is of magic make and helps us end this soul monger then we take it and use it." Grenk said while looking at all the treasure and then the others.  

"Grab what is useful and let us leave with great haste, we have the last puzzle cube and do not need to strike the rest of them," Silas comments as he opens his bag of holding, "Just load it up and we'll divide it later ok?"

(Bag of Holding, the great negation of "slow us down")

Badger will also produce his bag of holding to store some treasure (leaving out any non essential items to make room if needed), including the bracers, the smallish blue rock, the small 3 inch cube, and the puzzle cube. He isn't interested in the shields but will certainly point them out if anyone didn't notice, although when he sees the gemstones he gets that covetous jealous look about him again.

(Did Badger keep the gemstones he grabbed from the grung shrine?)

After having pointed out the shields, Grenk will grab them and hang his normal shiled in one of its places.  Outside of that he will help shovel what ever other item into the bags as Badger and Silas direct.

Mal will help gather all the loot and then go take a look at the "secret" door she found, the one that leads out of here and see if it is trapped.

Investigation: 8

Badger, when you left the temple, the gems turned into rocks.  Pretty polished glassy rocks, but....ultimately worthless.  

Grenk grabs a shield off the wall. 

Badger's eyes dart about when he sees the chalice full of gemstones and they're quickly placed into the bag of holding, along with much of the other valuable treasure.

Badger you take a second look at one of the shields on the wall.  That shield on the wall looks familiar.  It's red, blue and white....and.... ya, there's a dent in the side and that scratch there.  It's Ham's shield. 

 Mal, there are no traps that you can find on this door.

(Ah, illusion gems, should have known. Hope this loot is real though)

Badger wonders what the sick snake-man was doing in a sweet secret treasure room like this. Maybe a prisoner? Not likely with magic bracers on and weapons at hand. A guard? Not a very effective one. He'll take a closer look at the body and surroundings to find any clues about the snake-man's identity or reason for his presence. Investigation: 12

Badger examines the body. He was definitely very old.  His body seemed to be suffering from some wasting disease. He had many old scars across his body. He also has many strange tattoos.  But, nothing really jumps out at Badger giving him any insight into who it could have been. You think that without knowing more about what this place is you can't say, but he definitely seems like he would have been high up in this Yuan-ti base. 

(medicine check of guy didn't show this?)

"Come on, we got what we need. We do not need to remain here any longer," Silas states before closing his bag of holding and heads for the hole, "Also if someone could cover this hole up, even just with cushions on the way out," Before bending down and crawling into the hole. 

Sickle says, “Silas, I agree that we would be done here, we’ve got what we came for., but this shield is Ham’s, and the footprints from the temple led here. I think our companions may be here.” Sickle takes one of the shields off the wall as well, replacing his wooden one with it. (The rest are going in one of the bags?)

”Also, this circle reminds me of something I saw in Mirabar. Badger? Any idea what this is?”

Letting out a defeated sigh, Silas reverses route back out of the hole, "Let us see what we can before you move out I guess," Silas casts Guidance on Badger before he checks the circle. 

Badger will take a look at the circle, and see if he can determine its function... Arcana: 22

(From one extreme to the other)

(Forgot to add Guidance: 3 so make that a 29)

(Sorry Silas, you did indeed learn all the same details about the body as Badger, I just missed that...)

Badger examines the circle.  Oh, of course, he notices the symbols immediately, there's the symbol for location, multiple locations, thought driven, random location otherwise of course, ha, otherwise momentarily standing on it should do it.   

Yup, he's positive it's a self-powered permanent teleportation circle 'network'.  If a person doesn't know how to hold the right arcana symbols in their mind, that match the ones on the circle, then standing on it would do nothing, but otherwise it will take you to one of four other similar circles.  They could be anywhere on this plane of existence. Of course, since Badger doesn't know where they are, knowing each of the 4 other symbols doesn't help, but otherwise he feels he could use it.  He could easily teach the rest of the group to use them as well.  He figures he could also get back to this one easily enough.  He can see it's home symbol carved in the center.  

Badger gets a little thrill of excitement at trying out the portal, but just to be cautious he will cast Invisibility on himself first, fix the four symbols in his mind, and then try the first one...

Will plan to try all four symbols, get a quick idea of where they go to, and then return here to tell the others.

Badger:  

You focus on a symbol, and then you are there.  Muffled sounds of whimpering rise from four pits with circular iron grates covering them. A chain hooked to each grate stretches over a pulley bolted to the ceiling and coils around an iron winch set into a nearby wall. Iron manacles dangle from hooks on the south wall. You stand upon a faintly glowing stone disk that covers the floor of an otherwise empty alcove.  There is light in here.  Unable to help yourself, you scamper to an edge and look down. You spot two unfamiliar people in the first pit.  The second pit is quiet, and looking down, you see Ham.  The next pit contains Boris and Orvex.  The final pit contains Mandra. Each of the four pits are bell-shaped chambers 10 feet deep and 10 feet in diameter. The pits are flooded to a depth of 3 feet. Covering each pit is a massive circular iron grate that looks very heavy. The prisoners are all manacled, and shackled. They are all generally slumped against the wall, but unable to rest due to the three feet of water.  They look cold and miserable.  Mandra however is in a different situation.  She is suspended from the grate by chains, upside down, head, shoulders, and upper body under the water. 

There is an iron portcullis blocking the exit of this room that leads into the next room. 

You return to the pad and focus on the next symbol.  In a moment you appear in a new place. An underground cathedral opens before you. You are at one end upon a sculptured balcony.  You hear what sounds like water dribbling down from the something, perhaps a fountain below the balcony. But then you see the liquid is flowing along a sloped trough into a wide stone bowl set into the floor center of the floor. The liquid is thick and dark red.  Blood.  Beyond the bowl is a mezzanine, prominently situated atop which is a cauldron  of steaming broth that exudes fleshy odors. To the right, a huge gong carved with snake patterns stands on a second balcony.  You see a passage that leaves from behind the gong, as well as a passage on the far side of the room that leads away.  On the left, on a raised area is another passage protected by an iron portcullis.  On the lower section, to the left, you see double doors. 

There are several human like figures with patches of snake skin on their bodies here.  They appear to be scrubbing floors and cleaning the room. You see one warrior with the upper body of a snake emerge from the double doors, pushing them open. He hurries up a ramp and goes down the passage on the far side. 

You focus on the next symbol. A fountain of cool water bubbles on the floor ahead. The scent of lilies fills the air, and silken drapes drift lazily in the heat. Archways open into shaded booths heaped with cushions and trays of sugared sweets. Lounging about are a dozen scantily clad humanoids with eyes like those of snakes and scaly patches on their arms, legs, necks, and backs. Watching over them are a pair of inhuman bipedal reptiles.  Many appear to be sleeping, though a couple of the women appear to be preparing for the day ahead.  A passage leads out of this room on the far side of the room from the pad. 

You focus on the next symbol. Four pillars support the vaulted ceiling, and steps ascend to an iron throne carved in the likeness of a hydra. Painted on the wall behind it is a large blue triangle. A ten-foot-wide opening in the right wall leads to a flooded cave.  A wide passage on the left side of the room leads away. There are three warriors here with serpent upper bodies.  They stand over four rotting corpses that lay on the floor.  The hiss and chatter to one another as they examine the collapsed bodies. 

You focus on the original symbol and return to the room with the others. He informs you all quietly of what he saw. 

Badger also gives his opinion that all the portal destinations are within the same complex, and unfortunately don't go back to Port Nyazeru or Kir Sabal or anywhere else more inviting.

Also, that blue triangle symbol behind the throne ... the same was on some of the zombies they fought in the jungle. Perhaps this temple is the lair of the necromancer that raised them. Better be extra careful.

"So this portal is useless for our needs so let us move on," Silas states, "We need to find if our companions are here and live as well. If not here, we find how where and if dead, we make sure these snake men share their fates," 

Badger described everything he saw so you know your allies are in the watery pits.