Glancing at the keg, you notice that five tiny blue gems are sitting in the bottom.

Summer leans in closely to exam the jewels. "Hmm, I wonder if this has something to do with what attacked us..."

Arcana: 23

Summer, you recall reading about spells using gems as components that could bind a creature to a location.

"It certainly could be." Arisys says curiously. "I think we need to be a little more careful when we investigate rooms in this place. It seems there are all manner of creatures in the dark corners of this fortress."

Arisys will move back into the hallway to look ahead at what their next options are.

"It certainly could be." Arisys says curiously. "I think we need to be a little more careful when we investigate rooms in this place. It seems there are all manner of creatures in the dark corners of this fortress."

Arisys will move back into the hallway to look ahead at what their next options are.

Back in the hallway, there are two doors you haven't entered yet - one directly across from you on the northern wall, and one at the western end of the hall. Both are made of stone and don't have any noticeable carvings or keyholes.

(Some of the rooms up ahead are going to be weird/difficult to describe so I'm going to start putting maps in spoilers at the ends of some of my posts to help you guys better picture what's going on. Here's where you've been so far.)

Summer takes note of the components and decides to warn her allies of any future attacks. "There's definitely a wizard in these parts or at least someone who's capable of summoning creatures,"  she said. "Let's be wary of strange objects from now on. And Arisys? Thank you for healing me. In fact, I owe my life to each and every one of you. Drinks are on me next time we hit up a tavern."

As the others leave the room, Genken picks up the five tiny blue gems and uses his thumb to roll them around the palm of his hand as he looks at them. He then pockets them and follows the others. He points across the hall, "Perhaps we check out north? Unless anyone wishes to rest? I'm a little... scraped up from those creatures but I think I will survive."

"It was my pleasure, Summer. I think we'll have to rest at some point, but for now I say we carry on." Arisys looks between the two other doors. "North it is." She will approach the door look for traps and try the door to see if it opens. 

Lar-Dun remains vigilant so another encounter hopefully doesn't happen.

Perception: 5

Summer has her mouth slightly open, feeling the tingle of magic underneath her tongue.

(She readies vicious mockery in case of an ambush.)

The door does not appear trapped, and it opens easily. The square room inside is empty of all but a litter of rocky debris.

Summer squints around the room just to be sure for any hidden objects or anything.

Investigation: 15

You don't notice anything of interest in the room.

Genken looks inside the room, "Well, that's a little disappointing. But at least it's one less question mark. Shall we just proceed to the remaining door? Or would anyone like to do something else?"

"Let's keep moving. I want to see what else is hiding in this place."

"I'm good to carry on." Arisys moves from the room, and as she had done with the previous doors, she approaches the remaining door and enters after checking for traps and locks. 

"I'm good to carry on." Arisys moves from the room, and as she had done with the previous doors, she approaches the remaining door and enters after checking for traps and locks. 

Summer nodded and retained the magical energy underneath her tongue.

You open the door and enter an L-shaped room. Four additional doors line the chamber, and an opening in the west wall leads to a long hallway. The hall has three doors, and it branches off to the north at two different points.

Crudely executed symbols and glyphs, scribed in bright green dye, decorate the crumbling walls of the room. A large pit in the center shows evidence of a recent fire. A metallic cage in the middle of the southern wall contains a gaping hole and stands empty. A small wooden bench draped with green cloth is next to the cage, and several small objects rest on it. A bedroll lies near the wooden bench, and the sound of whimpering comes from inside it.