While certainly not made for him, Corryn, loathe to leave something so potentially valuable behind, picks up the shield clumsily, scoops up the coin and anything else valuable, and follows them in.
Corryn, the shield makes a somewhat clumsy burden but you manage to weave its strap across your chest diagonally, the huge tower all but entirely obscuring you from behind. Moving as a group, huddling within Ella's summoned light as it emanated from Fodd's sword.
Fodd, you follow Mika closely as she works her way down the stairs. Around you, the foundation stones of the tavern in their familiar rough edged style give way after seven or so feet to much finer work. Grey bricks of strictly regular size form smooth stone walls along which sit black steel wrought sconces cleverly designed to either hold a torch or hang a lantern. Currently, these sit empty, though a few still bear the long-burned remnants of lights from long ago.
Ahead, the descent opens up into a small chamber, no larger than fifteen feet square. The dry smell of stale air hangs heavily here, though even in the faint moonlight you can see the dust on the floor has been disturbed if not recently then certainly in the last few months. The room holds what looks like the remnants of a waiting or preparation area. Several armor-dummies lie heaped in a pile in one corner, and a table of solid oak stands surrounded by chairs on your left.
Peering across the room you can just about make out some sort of barrier of strange, purple-veined stone, directly blocking a door shaped passage which looks to be the only other exit from the room. You cannot see it from where you're standing at the entrance to the room, but you believe there may be an inscription or engraving adorning this barrier.
Fodd gestures to one of the chairs in what he hopes is a gentlemanly manner. "Please sit, miss. We'll be safe here for now." He hopes she can't detect the doubt in his voice. If this really is a dead end then they are trapped like rats in a hole. More in hope than expectation, Fodd approaches the barrier to study it under the faint light of his sword.
((Aside, I should have normal vision, assuming the light is at least dim.))
Corryn summons his familiar to him, for now having it settle on his shoulder and instructing it to simply be attentive and closely watch Mika for anything strange and unexpected. He then casts Dancing Lights to illuminate the room further.
After looking around, and once everyone is in the room, he turns back to the corridor through which they arrived and tries to think of way to block it in such a way as to misdirect any pursuers while not trapping themselves.
Mike gratefully accepts Fodd's offer of repose and after somewhat skeptically examining the dusty chair, settles herself into it with a sigh of relief. The magical healing she's been subject to is doing wonders for her health, and her exhaustion seems to be somewhat fading too. She sits, fidgeting nervously under the watchful gaze of Corryn's vigilant flying companion ((roll an insight check for the owl, please Corryn.)) Your examination of the room for potential barricades yields only the large table as a real option, though perhaps you might be able to stack the armor dummies and chairs behind it to add additional weight.
Illuminated by a combination of Fodd's sword and Corryn's dancing lights, you are able to better make out the barrier preventing further passage far more clearly. Made from larger, perfectly formed stones of grey stone veined with a strange, faintly glowing purple streaks, it is clearly not part of the original construction. Across the top of the barrier, an inscription in block letters warns:
DELVING TUNNELS SEALED BY ORDER OF THE SIEGE MINISTRY
Directly beneath, a smaller font inscribes:
Authorized Ministry Agents Only
Dominating the bulk of the barrier however is a large stylized depiction of what must be an Arcane Golem, one of the defenders of the city. The artificial monstrosity is depicted in full color, a leviathan of arcane infused metal most resembling a gigantic armored simian. The golem is depicted powered down and deactivated, the armor sealing its power core open to reveal the only colorless part of the image, the golem's power core. In this state, the golem's eyes are depicted as black and empty, the retractable blades on its left arm stored safely away and the weapon on its right arm, most reminiscent of Horrence's turret, lifeless and still.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Horrence, lost in thought since their previous discussions, comes alive upon seeing the Golem. "Fascinating" he mutters and, with his now enchanted goggles of night perched on his nose, he goes to inspect it, looking at the detail of the work and for any insight he can glean from its positioning. [Assuming investigation is right here, but let me know if not. If it is: 9 ]
Corryn, your owl keeps its owl-like gaze on Mika, watching owlishly for any and owl signs the young woman may become a threat, but raises no owlarm.
Horrence ((Great roll!)), peering closely at the golem depiction you see traceries of incredibly fine platinum dust running through the entirety of the picture. With your keen sense of craftsmanship, you determine these to conduits or energy channels of some kind, not merely decorative. You further observe that many of these seem to disappear into the stonework, as if connected to something within or behind the stone barrier before you. The latticework of such golden veins is intricate but after a long minute of study you discern it represents a network flowing from the colorless power-core at its center.
"I don't like this at all,"Ella whispers, keeping her voice low so as not to alarm Mika. "We didn't do anything wrong and we're hiding in these tunnels as if we're fugitives." She pulls the wraps of her clothes tighter around her in the cold underground tunnel, staring upwards for a moment at the cieling of the cavern. "Some of you are Delvers, or were, is that right? If we make our way past this barriers, what are we going to find? Where are we going to go?"
In your trainee Delves you only went as far as the top level of the subterranean network beneath the city, and always heavily supervised. Even with the heavy delving activity having driven back the majority of the monsters and other foes, the Delving Tunnels were still no place for the faint of heart with dangers aplenty.
The top layer of the network consists of Dwarven ruins, now partially re-purposed into the city's sewers. Their builders are the most recent civilization to have preceded the current age, and there are still considerable writings about the reclusive and isolationist Ikrugazi though their kingdom itself has faded to nothing.
The Ikrugazi were master artificers of immense skill, now largely lost. Their tunnels, even after all this time, seem to contain hidden chambers full of self-replicating machines and some form of autonomous repair functionality. No matter how often their traps and guardians are triggered or disabled, they reappear to pose new dangers for Delvers and sanitation crews alike.
On the last recorded Delve in the Riverfront district, reports of humanoids stalking the tunnels were recorded, but no successful contact was made. You know that Siege Ministry teams have Delved twice in the district since then, but always in significant force and accompanied by an Arcane Golem for protection. It is overwhelmingly likely they merely passed through the top layer to descend deeper into more perilous and rewarding levels below.
"The ruins of once great civilisations, driven into the mud. These first levels were the tunnels and halls erected by dwarven masters of artifice and architecture in an age past, cared for and defended by their machinery and inventions, mechanical and magical. Now, cavernous places of dust, detritus, and death; these first levels have become dungeons, sewers, and refuse pits for the city's districts. Still stalked by cruel machinations forged by dwarven art, their seemingly unending toil unwitnessed by their makers.
In more tenebrous depths, secrets and ancient riches, paid for in blood." Corryn pinches the bridge of his nose before continuing. "We should not venture too deep into these dark halls. Most of the city can be reached from here, but not without a map, sufficient equipment, and provisions, which we don't have. Regular delves made traversing these first tunnels reasonably safe in the past, but now?" He shakes his head. "As for where to go, I would advise spending as little time down here as possible, making our way to another close-by exit and finding a place to hide and figure out how to proceed."
"But it would seem this barrer is the only exit at our disposal? Unless there's another trap door hidden in this room," Ella muses. "And there is still a risk of dangers beyond, not least - as you say - as ill equipped as we are. Everyone here is hurt. A little rest, a moment to recover, might be important before we head deeper into the dark."
Fodd looks around at Ella. "Um... do you know how to remove this barrier Ms. Redstone? Or... anyone?" he asks. "Only, my father said you should never make a camp in hostile territory without an escape route..."Fodd himself is acutely aware that he has no idea how to remove it and offers little in the lateral thinking department. "I would rest a lot easier knowing we weren't going to be trapped..."
“If you think that’s the best option, of course. This is hardly my area of expertise,” Ella says. She traces the different veins and engravings in the rock with her fingers, seeing if the purple, platinum or gold lines feel any different to the touch, attempting to sense any magic. “It looks as if this golem is missing its core. Perhaps we need to restore it in some form to open the door. Professor, what is it that powers these creatures? Is it something you can replicate?”
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Truly remarkable" says Horrence, as he studies the depiction, almost lost in tracing the intricate patterns. His eyes never leave the golem as he says"I think young Food is right, we can't stay here without any other route of escape... the question is, how might this thing work...."As he talks this he takes out a small tinker's hammer and a begins tapping at the power-core.
[DM- as discussed, roll to see if he can finger out how it works with Tinker's Tools: 7 ]
"Uhm... Professor... do you think it is ... wise ... to ..." Corryn clears his throat, "I mean, this is an official barrier erected by the Ministry. I suspect that it has some sort of tamper protection?"
Horrence, your experience lies primarily with constructions and contraptions in three dimensions, and not with such painted wards. This inexperience quickly tells as even your gentlest strike with the hammer chips away some of the grey paint to reveal a solid maze of gold beneath, through which your strike sends minute cracks. You back away hurriedly, sensing that you risk causing true damage to the underlying webwork, but do discern that the 'heart' location is backed by the same gold dust as the vein-conduits running through the rest of the painting.
Ragnor looks towards the group as if startled back from a long daydream. "I suspect that much like the golems depicted in this ward we need some sort of sacrifice of an imbued relic. I... I'm not quite sure how but can we somehow feed it that shiny new shield we just found?"
Corryn steps closer to the 'mural' (?) as well, looking it over carefully. (My Passive Perception being 21 and my Passive Investigation being 20, I could only roll worse, so :D):
"That might work, yes, though it would hardly be a very good barrier if just any item will do... I think it is worth a try, however. We should try to determine whether the shield is magical and, if so, what its properties are, first, though. I don't know much about magic items, but I suspect that more will be involved than just holding the shield against the painting."
// Edit: Ah, sniped me. :D
Old:
"The only thing I can think of is that this barrier is powered by arcane energy; the shield we found might be able to provide some energy? It would be wiser to try to identify the shield's properties before attempting this, though. Does anyone have any ability at determining whether this shield is magical and, if so, what effect this magic has?
While certainly not made for him, Corryn, loathe to leave something so potentially valuable behind, picks up the shield clumsily, scoops up the coin and anything else valuable, and follows them in.
Corryn, the shield makes a somewhat clumsy burden but you manage to weave its strap across your chest diagonally, the huge tower all but entirely obscuring you from behind. Moving as a group, huddling within Ella's summoned light as it emanated from Fodd's sword.
Fodd, you follow Mika closely as she works her way down the stairs. Around you, the foundation stones of the tavern in their familiar rough edged style give way after seven or so feet to much finer work. Grey bricks of strictly regular size form smooth stone walls along which sit black steel wrought sconces cleverly designed to either hold a torch or hang a lantern. Currently, these sit empty, though a few still bear the long-burned remnants of lights from long ago.
Ahead, the descent opens up into a small chamber, no larger than fifteen feet square. The dry smell of stale air hangs heavily here, though even in the faint moonlight you can see the dust on the floor has been disturbed if not recently then certainly in the last few months. The room holds what looks like the remnants of a waiting or preparation area. Several armor-dummies lie heaped in a pile in one corner, and a table of solid oak stands surrounded by chairs on your left.
Peering across the room you can just about make out some sort of barrier of strange, purple-veined stone, directly blocking a door shaped passage which looks to be the only other exit from the room. You cannot see it from where you're standing at the entrance to the room, but you believe there may be an inscription or engraving adorning this barrier.
Fodd gestures to one of the chairs in what he hopes is a gentlemanly manner. "Please sit, miss. We'll be safe here for now." He hopes she can't detect the doubt in his voice. If this really is a dead end then they are trapped like rats in a hole. More in hope than expectation, Fodd approaches the barrier to study it under the faint light of his sword.
Ella follows Fodd to peer at the barrier as well.
((Aside, I should have normal vision, assuming the light is at least dim.))
Corryn summons his familiar to him, for now having it settle on his shoulder and instructing it to simply be attentive and closely watch Mika for anything strange and unexpected. He then casts Dancing Lights to illuminate the room further.
After looking around, and once everyone is in the room, he turns back to the corridor through which they arrived and tries to think of way to block it in such a way as to misdirect any pursuers while not trapping themselves.
Mike gratefully accepts Fodd's offer of repose and after somewhat skeptically examining the dusty chair, settles herself into it with a sigh of relief. The magical healing she's been subject to is doing wonders for her health, and her exhaustion seems to be somewhat fading too. She sits, fidgeting nervously under the watchful gaze of Corryn's vigilant flying companion ((roll an insight check for the owl, please Corryn.)) Your examination of the room for potential barricades yields only the large table as a real option, though perhaps you might be able to stack the armor dummies and chairs behind it to add additional weight.
Illuminated by a combination of Fodd's sword and Corryn's dancing lights, you are able to better make out the barrier preventing further passage far more clearly. Made from larger, perfectly formed stones of grey stone veined with a strange, faintly glowing purple streaks, it is clearly not part of the original construction. Across the top of the barrier, an inscription in block letters warns:
Directly beneath, a smaller font inscribes:
Dominating the bulk of the barrier however is a large stylized depiction of what must be an Arcane Golem, one of the defenders of the city. The artificial monstrosity is depicted in full color, a leviathan of arcane infused metal most resembling a gigantic armored simian. The golem is depicted powered down and deactivated, the armor sealing its power core open to reveal the only colorless part of the image, the golem's power core. In this state, the golem's eyes are depicted as black and empty, the retractable blades on its left arm stored safely away and the weapon on its right arm, most reminiscent of Horrence's turret, lifeless and still.
Insight Check for owl familiar: WIS(12+1) 8
/edit: Meh. https://twitter.com/jwiechers/status/1222826340962971648?s=19
Horrence, lost in thought since their previous discussions, comes alive upon seeing the Golem. "Fascinating" he mutters and, with his now enchanted goggles of night perched on his nose, he goes to inspect it, looking at the detail of the work and for any insight he can glean from its positioning. [Assuming investigation is right here, but let me know if not. If it is: 9 ]
Corryn, your owl keeps its owl-like gaze on Mika, watching owlishly for any and owl signs the young woman may become a threat, but raises no owlarm.
Horrence ((Great roll!)), peering closely at the golem depiction you see traceries of incredibly fine platinum dust running through the entirety of the picture. With your keen sense of craftsmanship, you determine these to conduits or energy channels of some kind, not merely decorative. You further observe that many of these seem to disappear into the stonework, as if connected to something within or behind the stone barrier before you. The latticework of such golden veins is intricate but after a long minute of study you discern it represents a network flowing from the colorless power-core at its center.
"I don't like this at all," Ella whispers, keeping her voice low so as not to alarm Mika. "We didn't do anything wrong and we're hiding in these tunnels as if we're fugitives." She pulls the wraps of her clothes tighter around her in the cold underground tunnel, staring upwards for a moment at the cieling of the cavern. "Some of you are Delvers, or were, is that right? If we make our way past this barriers, what are we going to find? Where are we going to go?"
Background for Corryn, Ragnor and Fodd:
In your trainee Delves you only went as far as the top level of the subterranean network beneath the city, and always heavily supervised. Even with the heavy delving activity having driven back the majority of the monsters and other foes, the Delving Tunnels were still no place for the faint of heart with dangers aplenty.
The top layer of the network consists of Dwarven ruins, now partially re-purposed into the city's sewers. Their builders are the most recent civilization to have preceded the current age, and there are still considerable writings about the reclusive and isolationist Ikrugazi though their kingdom itself has faded to nothing.
The Ikrugazi were master artificers of immense skill, now largely lost. Their tunnels, even after all this time, seem to contain hidden chambers full of self-replicating machines and some form of autonomous repair functionality. No matter how often their traps and guardians are triggered or disabled, they reappear to pose new dangers for Delvers and sanitation crews alike.
On the last recorded Delve in the Riverfront district, reports of humanoids stalking the tunnels were recorded, but no successful contact was made. You know that Siege Ministry teams have Delved twice in the district since then, but always in significant force and accompanied by an Arcane Golem for protection. It is overwhelmingly likely they merely passed through the top layer to descend deeper into more perilous and rewarding levels below.
"The ruins of once great civilisations, driven into the mud. These first levels were the tunnels and halls erected by dwarven masters of artifice and architecture in an age past, cared for and defended by their machinery and inventions, mechanical and magical. Now, cavernous places of dust, detritus, and death; these first levels have become dungeons, sewers, and refuse pits for the city's districts. Still stalked by cruel machinations forged by dwarven art, their seemingly unending toil unwitnessed by their makers.
In more tenebrous depths, secrets and ancient riches, paid for in blood." Corryn pinches the bridge of his nose before continuing. "We should not venture too deep into these dark halls. Most of the city can be reached from here, but not without a map, sufficient equipment, and provisions, which we don't have. Regular delves made traversing these first tunnels reasonably safe in the past, but now?" He shakes his head. "As for where to go, I would advise spending as little time down here as possible, making our way to another close-by exit and finding a place to hide and figure out how to proceed."
"But it would seem this barrer is the only exit at our disposal? Unless there's another trap door hidden in this room," Ella muses. "And there is still a risk of dangers beyond, not least - as you say - as ill equipped as we are. Everyone here is hurt. A little rest, a moment to recover, might be important before we head deeper into the dark."
Fodd looks around at Ella. "Um... do you know how to remove this barrier Ms. Redstone? Or... anyone?" he asks. "Only, my father said you should never make a camp in hostile territory without an escape route..." Fodd himself is acutely aware that he has no idea how to remove it and offers little in the lateral thinking department. "I would rest a lot easier knowing we weren't going to be trapped..."
“If you think that’s the best option, of course. This is hardly my area of expertise,” Ella says. She traces the different veins and engravings in the rock with her fingers, seeing if the purple, platinum or gold lines feel any different to the touch, attempting to sense any magic. “It looks as if this golem is missing its core. Perhaps we need to restore it in some form to open the door. Professor, what is it that powers these creatures? Is it something you can replicate?”
"Truly remarkable" says Horrence, as he studies the depiction, almost lost in tracing the intricate patterns. His eyes never leave the golem as he says "I think young Food is right, we can't stay here without any other route of escape... the question is, how might this thing work...." As he talks this he takes out a small tinker's hammer and a begins tapping at the power-core.
[DM- as discussed, roll to see if he can finger out how it works with Tinker's Tools: 7 ]
"Uhm... Professor... do you think it is ... wise ... to ..." Corryn clears his throat, "I mean, this is an official barrier erected by the Ministry. I suspect that it has some sort of tamper protection?"
Horrence, your experience lies primarily with constructions and contraptions in three dimensions, and not with such painted wards. This inexperience quickly tells as even your gentlest strike with the hammer chips away some of the grey paint to reveal a solid maze of gold beneath, through which your strike sends minute cracks. You back away hurriedly, sensing that you risk causing true damage to the underlying webwork, but do discern that the 'heart' location is backed by the same gold dust as the vein-conduits running through the rest of the painting.
Ragnor looks towards the group as if startled back from a long daydream. "I suspect that much like the golems depicted in this ward we need some sort of sacrifice of an imbued relic. I... I'm not quite sure how but can we somehow feed it that shiny new shield we just found?"
Corryn steps closer to the 'mural' (?) as well, looking it over carefully. (My Passive Perception being 21 and my Passive Investigation being 20, I could only roll worse, so :D):
"That might work, yes, though it would hardly be a very good barrier if just any item will do... I think it is worth a try, however. We should try to determine whether the shield is magical and, if so, what its properties are, first, though. I don't know much about magic items, but I suspect that more will be involved than just holding the shield against the painting."
// Edit: Ah, sniped me. :D
Old:
"The only thing I can think of is that this barrier is powered by arcane energy; the shield we found might be able to provide some energy? It would be wiser to try to identify the shield's properties before attempting this, though. Does anyone have any ability at determining whether this shield is magical and, if so, what effect this magic has?