The place is utterly silent and, unlike the previous level, free from debris. As the four adventurers methodically make their way through the hallways, checking each room, they find no indication of recent activity, and certainly no indication that the ghasts have been here. What kept the undead from these rooms is anyone's guess.
The best description of this place is that of an underground villa, albeit a villa long ago abandoned. The carvings in some of the walls depict a proud elf-like people, and the furnishings in the rooms, despite their decrepit condition, show signs of having been of the highest quality. The unimaginable force that created the enormous gulch clearly brought destruction to this strange, subterranean home as well: a passageway that leads to the southeast is cut off by rocks and debris, and two rooms--the dining hall and a hall of statues--have suffered tremendous damage as well. Upon entering the hall of statues, the gentle glow of sunlight can be seen pouring through a crevice that leads to the outside world.
The statues in the room--of which there are eight that survived the cave-in--are highly detailed images of demons. On the walls behind the statues are carved depictions of elves and creatures that appear to be a cross between elves and demons. As the party members look upon these eerie images they are reminded of some of the history of Ascalhorn that has been revealed to them: that is was founded by an ancient race of elves--the golden elves--and it was eventually destroyed by an enormous explosion.
Exiting the hall of statues through the crevice in the rock is a relatively simple climb over some rocks and rubble. The canyon floor is now less than 200' away. The four bodies seen previously are still there.
(I believe rk asked if there have been any indications of spells acting a bit wonky thus far. Thus far, the answer is no. Sorry for the delay on that bit of information).
Molasnake takes a good look at the statues, trying to remember what he'd been told about the ancient elven kingdom, fearful wizards, summoned demons, and then this big explosion... does it seem like these statues were created in the period after which the elves lost control to the demons? Or before, as in the elves always liked demons, and then summoned ones took control? Any specific details he can glean from the statues/depictions? Does he see anything written in primordial?
Regardless, he also follows Rixton down the stairs, alert for anything new.
Molasnake's scales make an ever-so-faint hissing noise as he slithers around the hall, eyeing closely each of the eight demon statues and the carvings on the walls. There is nothing to suggest that the ancient race of elves were on amicable terms with the denizens of the abyss. He surmises that this hall was once the villa of a very special elven family, but the place eventually became some sort of outpost for demonic forces who erected the statues seen in the room, statues that depict the powerful, dominant demons of the Abyss: Goristro, Maurezhi, Hezrou, Babau, Marilith, Glabrezu, Nalfeshnee, and Balor.
The carvings on the wall seem to glorify the demonic sullying of the ancient elves that once called Ascalhorn home. There is no writing of any sort in the room, primordial or otherwise.
- - - - - - - - - -
Molasnake brings up the rear, following Rixton, Gwin, and Rawley down the stairwell. After descending approximately forty feet, the stairwell, at last, comes to its end. The stairs conclude at the corner where two perpendicular hallways meet. One hallway runs north, the other east. The north-running hallway has a series of wooden double doors positioned in the right-hand wall. The doors are spaced apart evenly, approximately every 60 feet. The east-running hallway is nearly identical, but the series of double doors can be seen on both sides of the hallway. The place is, as expected, utterly devoid of light and noise.
Rixton counts seven sets of double doors on his right as he slinks down the hallway. Four of them are shut completely; three of them are just a few inches ajar. Just when he begins to wonder if the hallway will ever end he reaches a ninety-degree right turn. Now looking east, he sees a hallway that mirrors the one he just traversed: spaced approximately 60' apart are sets of double doors in the right-hand wall. The lone difference is a small alcove that stands on the left-hand wall, approximately 60' away.
Quietly moving eastward, Rixton passes the alcove on his left and sees that it's actually the open space at the bottom of a stairwell that leads upward. On his right are seven more sets of wooden double doors, all of them closed. This hallway is the same length as the north-running hallway, and it ends in the same way: a ninety-degree right turn. Rixton has the impression he's walking the perimeter of massive square, and before long his suspicions are confirmed. Following the third hallway (heading south) he passes more doors, another stairwell, and eventually turns right a third time.
Rawley, Gwin, and Molasnake then see Rixton approaching them from the west.
(The party members are gathered at the stairwell in the southwest corner).
Rixtonswats the flat of the blade to knock it away. "See, this is exactly why I tried to set up a code phrase. It is a long hallway of doors, two more stairwells. These doors might all open into a single chamber or many cells."
He's too pissy not to be Rixton, Gwin offers, and the only way for us to know what's behind those doors is to open them. Perhaps one of them will reveal an easier way to access the canyon floor.
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‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
Rawley opens the door with ease and peers into a large room. Within a few seconds he realizes the place is a crypt. A dozen stone sarcophagi sit upon the floor, and the walls on either side contains multiple niches in which coffins rest. The room has been ransacked and despoiled; the shattered remnants of funerary statues, burial offerings, heirlooms buried with the dead, and even the bones of the dead themselves litter the floors.
Gwin walks about the crypt, tsk-tsking and uttering prayers. She walks around the room, searching for anything that might be of value to the party, all the while shaking her head and repeating over and over again, No respect for the dead. No respect for the dead. Tsk tsk. No respect for the dead.
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‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
I am assuming it was just a small room through the one door.
"Be sure you tsk and pray in all the other crypts," Rixton says and abruptly departs to explore silently down the other hallways with doors on both sides of the hall.
Stealth: 23
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The place is utterly silent and, unlike the previous level, free from debris. As the four adventurers methodically make their way through the hallways, checking each room, they find no indication of recent activity, and certainly no indication that the ghasts have been here. What kept the undead from these rooms is anyone's guess.
The best description of this place is that of an underground villa, albeit a villa long ago abandoned. The carvings in some of the walls depict a proud elf-like people, and the furnishings in the rooms, despite their decrepit condition, show signs of having been of the highest quality. The unimaginable force that created the enormous gulch clearly brought destruction to this strange, subterranean home as well: a passageway that leads to the southeast is cut off by rocks and debris, and two rooms--the dining hall and a hall of statues--have suffered tremendous damage as well. Upon entering the hall of statues, the gentle glow of sunlight can be seen pouring through a crevice that leads to the outside world.
The statues in the room--of which there are eight that survived the cave-in--are highly detailed images of demons. On the walls behind the statues are carved depictions of elves and creatures that appear to be a cross between elves and demons. As the party members look upon these eerie images they are reminded of some of the history of Ascalhorn that has been revealed to them: that is was founded by an ancient race of elves--the golden elves--and it was eventually destroyed by an enormous explosion.
Exiting the hall of statues through the crevice in the rock is a relatively simple climb over some rocks and rubble. The canyon floor is now less than 200' away. The four bodies seen previously are still there.
(I believe rk asked if there have been any indications of spells acting a bit wonky thus far. Thus far, the answer is no. Sorry for the delay on that bit of information).
"Maybe one of us could try climbing that with those gloves but I'd rather try the stairs, I think," Rixton says.
The rogue offers to scout further ahead down the stairs and flips up his hood, skulking away into the dark stairwell.
Stealth: 20
Rawley nods, "Down we go. But it's good to know that there is an extra exit."
Gwin slowly follows Rixton, but allowing plenty of room between the two of them, her dark vision piercing the shadows.
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
Molasnake takes a good look at the statues, trying to remember what he'd been told about the ancient elven kingdom, fearful wizards, summoned demons, and then this big explosion... does it seem like these statues were created in the period after which the elves lost control to the demons? Or before, as in the elves always liked demons, and then summoned ones took control? Any specific details he can glean from the statues/depictions? Does he see anything written in primordial?
Regardless, he also follows Rixton down the stairs, alert for anything new.
Molasnake's scales make an ever-so-faint hissing noise as he slithers around the hall, eyeing closely each of the eight demon statues and the carvings on the walls. There is nothing to suggest that the ancient race of elves were on amicable terms with the denizens of the abyss. He surmises that this hall was once the villa of a very special elven family, but the place eventually became some sort of outpost for demonic forces who erected the statues seen in the room, statues that depict the powerful, dominant demons of the Abyss: Goristro, Maurezhi, Hezrou, Babau, Marilith, Glabrezu, Nalfeshnee, and Balor.
The carvings on the wall seem to glorify the demonic sullying of the ancient elves that once called Ascalhorn home. There is no writing of any sort in the room, primordial or otherwise.
- - - - - - - - - -
Molasnake brings up the rear, following Rixton, Gwin, and Rawley down the stairwell. After descending approximately forty feet, the stairwell, at last, comes to its end. The stairs conclude at the corner where two perpendicular hallways meet. One hallway runs north, the other east. The north-running hallway has a series of wooden double doors positioned in the right-hand wall. The doors are spaced apart evenly, approximately every 60 feet. The east-running hallway is nearly identical, but the series of double doors can be seen on both sides of the hallway. The place is, as expected, utterly devoid of light and noise.
Rixton will try north, slinking off past all of the doors to see where the passage leads.
Stealth: 27
Rixton counts seven sets of double doors on his right as he slinks down the hallway. Four of them are shut completely; three of them are just a few inches ajar. Just when he begins to wonder if the hallway will ever end he reaches a ninety-degree right turn. Now looking east, he sees a hallway that mirrors the one he just traversed: spaced approximately 60' apart are sets of double doors in the right-hand wall. The lone difference is a small alcove that stands on the left-hand wall, approximately 60' away.
Rixton will continue east, displeased with his loud (to his ears) steps and trying again to be stealthy.
Stealth: 26
Quietly moving eastward, Rixton passes the alcove on his left and sees that it's actually the open space at the bottom of a stairwell that leads upward. On his right are seven more sets of wooden double doors, all of them closed. This hallway is the same length as the north-running hallway, and it ends in the same way: a ninety-degree right turn. Rixton has the impression he's walking the perimeter of massive square, and before long his suspicions are confirmed. Following the third hallway (heading south) he passes more doors, another stairwell, and eventually turns right a third time.
Rawley, Gwin, and Molasnake then see Rixton approaching them from the west.
(The party members are gathered at the stairwell in the southwest corner).
Rawley steps up towards Rixton and places the tip of his longsword at his chest. "Say something so we know it's you."
Rixton swats the flat of the blade to knock it away. "See, this is exactly why I tried to set up a code phrase. It is a long hallway of doors, two more stairwells. These doors might all open into a single chamber or many cells."
He's too pissy not to be Rixton, Gwin offers, and the only way for us to know what's behind those doors is to open them. Perhaps one of them will reveal an easier way to access the canyon floor.
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
Molasnake sticks close to Gwin, trusting her judgment here, and readies to strike if a door opens and something hostile appears.
Rawley nods, "Yup, same *******. The code phrase is tulip jam for now."
He walks to first door on the right in the west-side corridor and tries to open it.
Rawley opens the door with ease and peers into a large room. Within a few seconds he realizes the place is a crypt. A dozen stone sarcophagi sit upon the floor, and the walls on either side contains multiple niches in which coffins rest. The room has been ransacked and despoiled; the shattered remnants of funerary statues, burial offerings, heirlooms buried with the dead, and even the bones of the dead themselves litter the floors.
(How long has it been since Mola shifted to snake form, at the beginning of the ghast fight?)
Time spent since taking wild shape is approximately 60 minutes.
Gwin walks about the crypt, tsk-tsking and uttering prayers. She walks around the room, searching for anything that might be of value to the party, all the while shaking her head and repeating over and over again, No respect for the dead. No respect for the dead. Tsk tsk. No respect for the dead.
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
I am assuming it was just a small room through the one door.
"Be sure you tsk and pray in all the other crypts," Rixton says and abruptly departs to explore silently down the other hallways with doors on both sides of the hall.
Stealth: 23