IC I

[thirdkingdom]

Firstday, Sixmonth, Forty-thirdyear of the 16th Cycle
8:00 am
Hex 13.42

The domain of Deepwater was founded four decades ago by adventurers seeking their fame and fortune. Located on the banks of the River Sarn, at the site of an ancient watchtower, the town has the distinct advantage of being located where the water deepens enough to allow ocean-going vessels to dock, providing easy access to the markets of the Silver Sea.

It is not sea-bound adventures that have drawn the party here, however, as the adventure they seek is more terrestrial in nature. Two weeks ago, a shephard returned to Deepwater, claiming to have discovered ancient ruins carved into the side of a mountain while searching for a lost lamb, some eighteen miles south of the community. Scouts have confirmed that it is indeed an entrance into a larger complex, likely revealed by a minor earthquake that shook the region several months prior. Those who have viewed the entrance claim that is no complex built by the hands of Man, but bears the tell-tale signs of being constructed by the mecistop, the foul Crocodile Kings that ruled this part of the world for centuries before the dawn of time, holding humanity and other races under the yoke as slaves. The Crocodile Kings were known to be magically puissant beyond anything humanity is capable of today; who knows what dangers and treasures await!

The party stands at the base of the mountain, looking up the slope to the columns carved into the face, shading an entrance three times the height of a person, with massive doors that have been damaged and wrenched assunder, creating a passage wide enough to be entered single file. As of today, there are no other adventuring parties in Deepwater brave -- or foolish -- enough to venture within, but that will no doubt change as news of the discovery spreads.

Deepwater Overall Map.png (70.55 KiB) Viewed 34698 times

[kalstone]

Tiarsus
Strigi Seer 1

Tiarsus pauses to listen to the wind. "I foresee much danger in this place. The wind speaks of evil and terrible magicks. Who knows what traps were laid to forbid entry here. Perhaps there is a secret entrance that may be safer."

He takes a good look at the door and its surroundings, looking for anything amiss.

[thirdkingdom]

Tiarsus
Strigi Seer 1

Tiarsus pauses to listen to the wind. "I foresee much danger in this place. The wind speaks of evil and terrible magicks. Who knows what traps were laid to forbid entry here. Perhaps there is a secret entrance that may be safer."

He takes a good look at the door and its surroundings, looking for anything amiss.

The massive doors stand some forty feet above the adventurers, in the side of a steep slope that is covered with what looks to be newly fallen scree, no doubt dislodged by the tremors that shook the ground recently and uncovered the entrance. If there were once stairs leading up to the entrance they have been erased by time and the elements, but although steep it would require no specialized tools to ascend; in fact, the more fleet-footed party members should have no trouble with the climb at all.

The side of the mountain is largely barren. Here and there smaller shrubs, or the windswept tree, cling to a precarious existence, their roots working their way into the granite that looms far above the party, reaching tens of hundreds more feet into the air. Evidence of the rockslide that exposed this entrace can be seen along the entire side of the mountain; fresh scars carved into the stone from rock and earth moving abruptly. No other entrances are visible from where the adventurers stand, looking at the northern face of the mountain.

[stilladventuring]

Cearc
Human Assassin 1
Cearc's gaze ascended the slope, fixating on the columns meticulously carved into the mountain, framing the shattered doorway that beckoned them forward. With a deft movement, he rapped the end of the long bone pipe against the sturdy leather of their boots, signaling the impending challenge.

The next leg of their journey promised no respite for the indulgence of smoking. The pipe, unlit and dormant, dangled from Cearc's lips, a tangible emblem of a vice they sought to abandon. He spoke to Tiarsus,

"As you say. Perhaps there is a better way in, a hidden passage or a tunnel, designed for the disposal of refuse, or for those wishing a secret rendezvous.” The pipe found a safe haven within the confines of his backpack, a conscious decision to relinquish an old habit.

"Whether safety accompanies an alternative path remains uncertain until we tread the unknown," he continued, a solemn acknowledgment of the enigma that lay ahead. "If a runoff path exists, it should lead us to a stream, but see how this place has been forsaken for a span."

His discerning eyes scanned the immediate surroundings, probing for signs of gullies or stream beds. They also looked for anything close at hand that appeared to be a cave-like entrance, concealed in the rugged tapestry of the mountain.

[BaltoBruiser]

Brooku
Level 1 Cyclopskin

Gazes up the mountain with his single eye wondering how he got here and why his new group complains so much.

Seems like we should climb up to see what is behind those doors

[sulldawga]

Themon the Red
Human Warlock 1

Themon says nothing but shrugs his pack off his shoulders and digs out a flask of oil. He fills his lantern with oil.

"The entrance matters not. What lies within will reveal itself soon enough. Let us climb and explore."

Placing his pack back on his shoulders, Themon doesn't wait for his companions but starts the hike up to the entrance.

[thirdkingdom]

Firstday, Sixmonth, Forty-thirdyear of the 16th Cycle
8:10 am
Hex 13.42

The adventurers clamber up to the portico with varying degrees of difficulty and aplomb. They find themselves standing atop a flattened piece of land, perhaps fifteen feet deep and forty or so feet wide. Scree and boulders are scattered about, but it looks like most of the debris is currently on the slope below. Before them, carved into the sheer face of the mountain, is the entrance that has recently been uncovered. Four columns have been carved into the rock, and flank the massive double doors, two to a side. The doors themselves are carved from stone, and looked to be hinged via some sort of pivot. They are each ten feet wide and thirty feet tall; the left one is still closed, while the one on the right hand side looks as though it has been violently torn from the pivot at the top and has turned partially, leaning against the other door up high and creating an opening down lower large enough for the adventurers to slip through one by one.

Beyond the door, in the light that streams through over their shoulders, the adventurers can see a 20' wide, 20' long grand hallway that opens up into a much larger room beyond. Frescoes of some sort adorn the walls of the entrance hall, and off in the distance, in the large room, some large shape is visible, rising up from the floor, obscured by shadow.

[shaidar]

Atticus

Not one for unnecessary conversation, Atticus has been his usual quiet and stoic self.

His yellow eyes take in the view before them and he finally breaks his silence.

"I am quite good at noticing things, let me check the entrance for any danger."

He casts his eyes over the entrance gap first, looking for anything of concern. If that looks clear he next focuses his attention on the area immediately beyond the gap, again looking for potential dangers.

[kalstone]

Tiarsus

While Atticus checks the entrance, Tiarsus will attempt to use his nightvision to pierce the shadows in the hallway and try to make out what the large shape is.

[thirdkingdom]

Tiarsus

While Atticus checks the entrance, Tiarsus will attempt to use his nightvision to pierce the shadows in the hallway and try to make out what the large shape is.

Owl-folk illustration.jpg (282.48 KiB) Viewed 34635 times

Tiarsus approaches the opening and peers within. It takes but a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the darkened space, his already large pupils dilating to the size of saucers. He sees before him short hallway, twenty feet wide and long, that abrubtly opens up into a long room, perhaps seventy feet long and forty wide. The interior of the chamber is lined with columns spaced at regular intervants, soaring up into the air. He cannot see the ceiling from where he stands, but he can intuit that it is high, since there is room for both a second story balcony at the far (southern) end of the room, lined with a stone railing. The center of the chamber is dominated by a huge statue, at least thirty feet in height, depicting some sort of bipedal reptilian creature. It is difficult to tell from where he stands, but it looks as though the statue has been severely defaced or damaged.

[thirdkingdom]

Atticus

Not one for unnecessary conversation, Atticus has been his usual quiet and stoic self.

His yellow eyes take in the view before them and he finally breaks his silence.

"I am quite good at noticing things, let me check the entrance for any danger."

He casts his eyes over the entrance gap first, looking for anything of concern. If that looks clear he next focuses his attention on the area immediately beyond the gap, again looking for potential dangers.

Atticus finds no sign of traps or danger, but one thing he notices is that while the doors appear to be hinged in such a manner to allow them to open inwards, the damaged door has clearly been forced outwards, and in the process wrenched from the upper hinge.

[shaidar]

Atticus

"Well, it looks safe enough to me, although the doors look like something forced itself out."

Spear in hand, he steps through the gap into the room beyond and then moves to the left to allow the others space to enter.

[sulldawga]

Themon

The warlock enters after Atticus and moves away from the entrance to accomodate the others.

Tiarsus, I don't want to interfere with your darkvision. Let me know when it's the right time to light my lantern.

[stilladventuring]

Cearc

Cearc, harbored a reluctance to be relegated to the rear of the line. Instead, he subtly maneuvered himself behind Atticus and Themon, positioning himself where shadows could be embraced and danger anticipated. His movements were akin to a wraith, silent and deliberate, as he coiled into the middle of their clandestine procession.

Attuned to the ebb and flow of peril, held his silence as a treasure waiting patiently. He looked for the signal, a nod or a gesture, indicating the moment when the oppressive cloak of darkness could be lifted. Lanterns, dormant and shrouded, were poised for ignition.

[kalstone]

Tiarsus

Tiarsus describes what he sees. "It's empty as far as I can tell, except for that statue. Let me move in to check the ceiling, then you can light the lantern and follow." He will move inside the door a few feet and check upwards, then move aside for the rest of the party.

[BaltoBruiser]

Brooku

Is content to allow the party to jostle for position inside in the dark while the Owl man peers around. He waits outside until someone creates a light source inside the entrance hall. He does not mind being behind all these little folk.

Do we know how we are going to look about? Who is going to be in front and who is going to be in the back? I don't want the Skulky one behind me pointing at Cearc I do not mind being behind Mutton pointing toward Beykoyun or the pasty one he gives no indication of whom he speaks they smell good.

[thirdkingdom]

Firstday, Sixmonth, Forty-thirdyear of the 16th Cycle
8:20 am
Hex 13.42
The Redoubt of the Crocodile Kings

The adventurers enter, slipping one by one through the opening between the two doors. They find themselves in a 20' wide x 20' long entrance hall, with 20' ceilings. All of the stone within this corridor is worked, and seemingly cunningly done. Carved reliefs cover the walls in this entrance hall. It's hard to make out details, as the reliefs are badly damaged, scarred as if by deliberate violence. Here and there some details are visible: large, bipedal reptilian figures tower over cowering humans and humanoids. The reptilian figures wield whips and staves, and seem to be directing the cowering figures to perform various tasks.

Stepping into the hall itself, dimly lit only by the light from outside, the adventurers find themselves in a room as Tiarsus had described, but can now make out more details. The room is seventy feet, north to south, and forty feet wide. The entrance hall enters the room in the center of the northern wall. Twenty feet south of that wall are two round columns set against the wall, and twenty feet south of those are two more columns. On the eastern wall, an arched opening is visible just past the second column, while on the western wall there is what appears to be a closed door just to the north of the second column. The ceiling soars some forty feet into the air, and on the southern wall, about twenty feet up, a balcony, shadowed, overlooks the hall as well as the statue that dominates the center of the room.

The statue is some thirty feet in height and depicts a reptilian, bipedal creature with long snout filled with sharp fangs. It is similar to those depicted in the frescos in the entrance corridor, and can only depict the feared mecistop, or Crocodile Kings. Like the frescos, the statue is badly damaged. It is missing its left arm from bicep down, the break jagged, and scarred by attempts at violence, with most of the damage done to the lower section, as if Men with sledgehammers beat furiously at it. All of the damage appears to be ancient. The statue faces the opening through which the adventurers entered, and just beyond the statue, in the southern wall, they can spy another arched opening.

The entrance hall appears to be empty, save for a few bats which are sleeping upside down on the ceiling.

[shaidar]

Atticus

"I am happy to be at the front as we move, so I can help spot danger."

He takes in the hall...

"It seems our options are...archway to the left, archway straight on and door to the right. We should probably examine this room before we move on, and if we didn't like any of the three options, someone could try climbing up to the balcony."

[sulldawga]

Themon

I vote we try the door. I don't think there's anything to be gained by looking around in here.

Themon leaves his lantern unlit for now and draws his sword.

Does Themon need a free hand to cast a spell or use his warlock powers?

[thirdkingdom]

Themon

I vote we try the door. I don't think there's anything to be gained by looking around in here.

Themon leaves his lantern unlit for now and draws his sword.

Does Themon need a free hand to cast a spell or use his warlock powers?

Spellcasting is just like other classes: I'm going to say it requires one free hand, because wizards casting spells while holding a staff or dagger or something else is pretty common. Other abilities don't need to have free hands unless otherwise noted.