Mobile~ "If we are okay with a slower return journey I can summon the tenser's disk to haul everything out." Sinsil says looking at the pile trying to spot the circlet that was mentioned.

13

You expect you would be able to bring it all on a floating disk, especially if you tied it into bundles using cloaks and blankets. Alternatively, you could pick through and bring the valuables, and leave the fair amount of shiny junk, which would probably fit in your packs.

It takes a bit of sifting, but eventually you locate a silver circlet shaped like overlapping vines, set with moonstones. It’s a lovely piece. 

As you search through the treasure, something about the crack in the altar keeps nagging at your mind. It seems a bit too regular to be natural...

Ashanti heads over to inspect the altar...

The crack is seriously thin, barely wide enough to get a fingernail into, but it looks deep. You think if you could force it open somehow, you might be able to crack the whole altar apart. 

Six wanders over to the altar as well, looking between his new friends and it curiously. "Find something else?" he asks, head tilting to the side as he turns to study it. 

" Do you have a sword you don't like? Need something long and metal to use as a pry.  Unless someone brought a crowbar?"

Sinsil produces a small knife "Would this suffice?"

"Only my longsword and a dagger, I'm afraid," he answers Ashanti, pulling the dagger out. "I can try it with this, if you like." He nods towards Sinsil's knife. "Or that."

" Sinsils pretty stiff and about the right length.....oh, the knife..."

" Axe might do...bit thicker as well."

She took out one of her axes and pushed it into the crack trying to lean back on it with all her might.

Athletics:18

Strength:5

You manage to put your weight on the axe-head and get it firmly wedged in the crack. Leaning on the handle, you begin to try to lever off the heavy stone. It protests with a loud stone grinding noise, but moves a couple of inches, revealing a hollow space inside the altar. 

Ashanti reached into the hollow, " Here I go sticking my fingers in strange holes again....you'd think I would have learned after Nicodranus."

You reach in as far as you can, and feel something dry and smooth. Sticks? You give it a yank, and pull out a disembodied arm, the dry bones of the hand clutched around what appears to be a mithril skeleton key. It feels cool to the touch, and the folded bands of metal seem to be swirling slowly under the surface. 

Sinsil's eyes go wide at the sight. "That gives skeleton key a new meaning." If the group is getting ready to move Sinsil it's going to begin the ritual for tenser's floating disk

"That's quite the strange key," Six remarks, peering at it closely. "I wonder what it opens." The swirling metal reminds him of the ring he left on the dead cultist so he shakes his head to bring himself back from getting caught up in the strange movement of the metal, and returns to the dead cultist to carefully remove the ring that seems to vibrate when he touches it. 

Once Sinsils spell is complete Ashanti loads loot onto it.

" Uh....what did we need to cut off the lizzies?"

-mobile

Tristan starts to help Ashanti. “I think it would be wise to scram before my less pleasant cousins show up.”

"Agreed. Load the disk."

' Agreed. Thats what I'm doing.'

" But weren't we supposed to bring back proof?"

(Hey guys, sorry about the delay). 

You manage to get everything loaded, and begin the long climb back up to the outside. Eventually you reach the opening chamber, with one other entrance you didn’t explore. You can head out, or stop to scout the other way.

(Mobile)

"It might be prudent to have a look," Six comments, nodding towards the other entrance.