The Quest Begins

[dmw71]

The steps open up into a room, approximately 25' (east/west axis)by 30'(north to south). The stair opening is part of the south wall.

Eugene, tests the final step, the actual floor, with his 10' pole before setting foot in the room. Once he convinces himself that all is safe, he clears off the stairs, taking a step or two off to the right, to make way for the party members descending behind him. He doesn't move from the foot of the landing just yet, spending the few moments before everyone else arrives observing the contents of the room.

Between his legs rests a large couldron lying with its opening facing the stairs as you descend.

Observing the tipped over cauldron: "Hey, look." he jokes quietly to no one in particular "This poor fellow no longer has a pot to piss in." He chuckles lightly to himself.

[acererak]

From Eugene's position on the landing he can also note that there are doors in the center of the west and east walls.

[dmw71]

From Eugene's position on the landing he can also note that there are doors in the center of the west and east walls.

Not wanting anything to sneak up from behind him, Eugene backs up against the south wall. He shifts his staff to his left hand and draws his short sword with his right. Best be prepared. he thinks to himself. His attention shifts from one side of the room to the other, intermittently watching the doors on the east and west walls.

[saalaria]

Kytan slings his mace on his belt, grips the proffered torch and holds it aloft as he carefully descends the stairwell.
At the bottom he will move to the side to clear the path for the next person down and look about with interest.

[Xaxyx]

Boldus descends next, his hand comforably gripping the hilt of his sword as he makes his way into the chamber below. Once he emerges, he'll take a glance at the statue, raising his furry eyebrows in appreciation of the craftsmanship.

[Distorted Humor]

Atticus spikes the trapdoor open, and then descends.

[Alethan]

Caby goes down after Boldus. Upon seeing the statue, she moves to examine it more closely.

[saalaria]

Kytan will move to examine some of the writing - taking a wall that has a door - at the same time keeping an eye on the door too.

[acererak]

Caby moves closer to the statue. The statue appears to be made of metal, perhaps copper or bronze. A patina now gives its shape hues of white and green. The upper part of the statue is bent slightly forward with its arms resting on the great cauldron ( or some other such vessel) that rests firmly between its legs. The cauldron is sufficient in height and width to allow a person hunched over (or a standing member of a more diminutive race) to enter it.

As Caby eyes the statue Kytan investigates the writing on the east wall in the vicinity of the door. There are numerous scrawlings, most in the common tongue, some in dialects or other languages. He picks out certain phrases here and there: Horun, may the Iron One bring you to your rest....Merrick, you were a good father......Surrus, you will be missed.....Katy, my sweet....Mara, given to the arms of the Iron One in the second summer of the reign of the Three Kings...

[saalaria]

(Loud whisper to the others) Seems like this may be some kind of Chapel of Rest. People have written what seems to be their last thoughts and feelings about their loved ones on these walls."

Kytan will move to examine the writings on the other walls.

[max_vale]

Durin was almost jumping from foot to foot and grinning like a child who had just recieved a coveted toy as a gift. Look at this! I'm with a band of hardy adventurers, about to explore the dungeons of an old Temple....this is how ALL the great songs and stories begin!, he thinks excitedly to himself.

Seeing the others draw weapons; Durin does the same. With his dagger in hand and an eager expression on his face; he doesn't look the least bit dangerous.....just very foolhardy.

Talking in a quiet whisper to his new companions after the Cleric's comments, he says; "Well...that makes sense as the Iron God is the Lord of the Afterlife, if I remember correctly...."

[Alethan]

Noting the white and green patina, Caby simply says, "Copper" as she glances over the hieroglyphs (not that she expects to understand them).

Without actually putting any body part inside, she examines the cauldron more closely to see if she can discern anything unusual about it, like maybe that it has a false bottom?

"This vessel is big enough to put a body in... maybe it is where they placed their dead?" She makes a sour face and takes a step backwards at the thought.

[acererak]

Kytan reads the inscriptions on the other wall, some are just a name and a date, others are more lengthy tributes to loved ones. Caby examines the cauldron and, from a visual inspection of the inside and outside, without actually walking in the cauldron, she does not see any indication that there is a false bottom.

[Distorted Humor]

Atticus whispers "We could put a Grappling hook and move the statue to make sure it is not trapped or hiding anything"

[max_vale]

Still grinning like a child with a new toy; Durin eagerly steps close to Atticus (almost poking him with his badly held Dagger) and says; "That's a good idea; I'll help!"

[Distorted Humor]

Still grinning like a child with a new toy; Durin eagerly steps close to Atticus (almost poking him with his badly held Dagger) and says; "That's a good idea; I'll help!"

Atticus pulls out his rope and hands it to Durin to put a hook on it.

[acererak]

Another observation about the statue: There is some space between the body of the statue and the wall but the cauldron part of the statue is flush against the back wall.

[Alethan]

"I wonder what would happen to a body if it was placed inside the vessel..."

She steps back and eyes the statue and its position in relation to the wall, one hand casually rubbing her chin as she thinks about it.

Then Caby steps right up to it and examines the statue more closely, looking for seams where a part of it may be disguised as a lever or switch or seeing if any parts of the statue can be depressed like a button.

[saalaria]

Kytan will try to listen at each door in turn.

[acererak]

Begin Turn 2

Kytan listens carefully at each door but hears naught but the noises being made by his companions. Meanwhile, Durin and Atticus fasten rope and grapple together. Eugene and Boldus keep a ready eye out for trouble as Caby thoroughly examines the statue. A search of the exterior of the cauldron and the statue itself do not reveal a lever, catch, depression or any other sort of hidden mechanism.A steady stream of sunlight continues to beam in from the spiked open trap door.