Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[The_Wanderer]

Drest

"Not intended to wound Cyril, it is just a statement of fact and meant as a compliment in your case."

Cyril
"Well in that case, I thank you for your kind words. Should you ever wish to learn more about my deity, you need only ask."

And then attention is turned to the strange room...Cyril is muttering, "...too easy...this is too easy." He nods at Akhilleus' comment and stays just outside the doors. "I have my staff although that probably wouldn't give somebody more than a 5 foot reach to knock the gem off the pedestal." He will offer his staff to any brave soul willing to poke the gem.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

"Don't touch it. With anything." Kain pauses to explain his reasoning. "This place was noticeable from a distance because of the lights. So the Matron and the dwarfs would have seen it, and they both had boats. Therefore, they decided not to come here or take the gem they both wanted."

"So either the gem has been recently put there, or that is a fake. Most likely a lure for the curious. I would suggest detecting magic, but I suspect the real gem is also magical."

Kain moves to the 'steps' and peers down into the gloom. He's trying to place the smell.

[shaidar]

Xenos

"You're right, this does seem too easy. Be careful of the stairs, by that smell I'm guessing there are more dwarves down there."

The 'earthy' smell has been used to describe the dwarves on multiple occasions.

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

The druid fits an arrow to her bow and enters the dome, moving to the right, away from the gem and pedestal. She scans the room for any other clues as to what this place actually is as she creeps toward the stairs leading down into darkness.

[Rex]

Drest

"It smells of trap in more than one way. Just trying to see if I can figure out if it is mechanical in nature. Also, even if it isn't "THE" gem, it may still be worth something."

He continues looking for traps.

[subaltari]

Akhilleus unsheathes his sword and follows along. "I won't trust anyone who lives willingly in this Helios' forsaken place."

Up to that point Magda has been observing Cyril's amulet with interest, and the banter of the others with amusement. She chimes in after the appointed leader Akhilleus. "For what it's worth, I was a willing guest of the Toad Matron... until I was not. Then I became her unwilling pupil in the art of Transformation. As for the Matron's own disguise, an obscene fat toad-thing becoming a passably comely human, I believe what is inked on the first page of her book answers how she was able to do it. That spell may have confounded you learned ones," she looks from Cyril to the other sorcerers that spoke... "for despite the breadth and diversity of your collective arcane erudition, it appears lacking in the fields of both illusion and witchcraft."

[subaltari]

Beyond is a circular room that is well lit by fixtures placed along the rim of the domed ceiling. The inside of the dome is emblazoned with more of the strangely incongruent geometric shapes and weird alien hieroglyphs that were found in the bizarre abandoned metal buildings outside.

Magda leaves her lantern on the ground near the inside of the entrance (and the gem pedestal), as the artificial illumination from both the jewel and the strange upper fixtures seems sufficient. She is interested in the hieroglyphs, scanning them carefully all round and trying to discern any repeated symbols, patterns, alignment, or other context that would indicate any kind of human (or inhuman) language. Her lips move silently as if actually reading the inscriptions (she can't, at least not without using further arts).

Regarding the violet-glowing gem she intones, "Quite a pretty, eh? Whether the stone be real or not, that light could be a simple dwimmer of perpetual illumination."

And with a flick of her hand, Skavi scampers down Magda's clothes and over to a corner of the staircase where, though the dark rat might not be well hidden himself, he can observe down into it.

[Belkregos]

Belloc gives space and stays alert

[shaidar]

Xenos places himself around 20' from the top of the steps, ready to assist Akhilleus in defense if required.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sorry for my delay, gang! Busy weekend!

Island Under The Zakath Desert
Feeling Froggy
No Idea On Time Or Day

Drest looks over the pedestal and gem for traps but finds nothing. It doesn't look like this gem sees much action at all. Sik suggests they could topple the pedestal from a distance.

Taibhse, Akhilleus, Kain, Skavi, and eventually Ceana move towards the back stairs. The way down into the darkness does not appear to be guarded in any way, though nothing can be seen at the bottom of these wide stairs. The earthy smell coming up is familiar to some, but not nearly as ghastly as the stench from the recent dwarves. Listening intently, nothing can be heard coming up from below.

Magda moves around the domes interior as the others stay put where they are, attempting to read or understand the writings. She has never seen anything like these hieroglyphics before and can understand none of what she sees.

Cyril remains outside the front doors, offering his staff to any brave members of the group who want to knock the glowing gem from its perch.

Actions?

Drest (Sc4) FA:3 AC7 16/22
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 17/17
Akhilleus (F4) FA:4 AC4 19/35
Kainaxarthos (C2) FA:1 AC6 9/11
Magda (W2) FA:0 AC9 8/8
Sik (Ba1) FA:1 AC5 9/12
Cyril (Pr2) FA:0(20) AC8 12/12 CLW, DM
Ceana (D2) FA:1 AC5 13/13
Taibhse (Sh2) FA:0(20) AC5 11/11
Belloc (M2) FA:0(20) AC6 14/14

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

The druid remains where she is at the top of the stairs, weapon ready. She doesn't care for this place very much. Turning away from the gem and the others, she watches the darkness below, her ears and other senses perked for any sign of something down there.

[subaltari]

Magda

"A few moments, if you please, before you lot try anything with the pretty gem."

The witch's voice then breaks into a keening singsong that probably sets Drest's teeth on edge, not to mention Sik's, but it's mercifully brief.

"Wiggles and squiggles, odd to the eyes
Powers above, make me to be wise.
Wiggles and squiggles, circles and lines
The secret of reading them, make it mine."
Magda casts Decipher Language, level 1, CA 2 (PG p.190), then attempts to read the hieroglyphs.

Magda (W2) FA:1 AC9 8/8

A slight correction, Magda has FA 0 and no to-hit bonuses.
Nice to see her name in fuchsia, all the same

[Rex]

Drest

Drest, about to try snatching the gem waits for the witch to finish her spell. Meanwhile he digs out one of his sling bullets, "Probably a little heavy but will try anyways."

Once the witch gives the go ahead Drest will try switching the bullet for the gemstone.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus looks at the developments taking place by the gem.

"Let's wait before we go downstairs. Does anyone have a torch? Down there is even darker. I'd suggest someone who have some expertise looking for traps come down first. I'll stand at your side with shield and sword."

[The_Wanderer]

Akhilleus looks at the developments taking place by the gem.

"Let's wait before we go downstairs. Does anyone have a torch? Down there is even darker. I'd suggest someone who have some expertise looking for traps come down first. I'll stand at your side with shield and sword."

Cyril
"I still have a pair of torches along with the means to light them. Beyond that though my skills and abilities do not support me leading the line as it were."

[subaltari]

Akhilleus "Let's wait before we go downstairs. Does anyone have a torch? Down there is even darker. I'd suggest someone who have some expertise looking for traps come down first."

Cyril "I still have a pair of torches along with the means to light them. Beyond that though my skills and abilities do not support me leading the line as it were."

After spending some minutes trying to magically read the inscriptions inside the dome, Magda offers her Hooded Lantern to any of the stalwarts who should wish to carry it.

[silifi]

Sik takes up Magda on her offer and takes the lamp. He moves beside Akhilleus, and tries to illuminate as much as he can from the top of the stair.

[Belkregos]

Belloc
observes Magda with interest then follows the group down when they start to move again

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

Will light a torch.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Kain turns around to slowly lower himself onto the step three feet below. Making sure it is really a step and not an illusion. "Thanks for the lights."

He pauses when he sees Drest still at the gem. "Drest! Leave it! A lone large gem with no security is a fake and most likely a trap. Disintegration, maybe."