IC VIII

[thirdkingdom]

Based on his inspection, Lanny is able to determine that the tunnel was dug from the caves into the mausoleum.

[Innana]

Innana the Fighter:

Crouches down to examine the claw marks. Well Lanny, it looks like we may be heading towards some trouble. "After you." Innana does an exaggerated hand sweep before Thordin.

[riftstone]

Thordin the dwarf will enter the caves, pausing long enough to make sure someone with a torch will be right behind him. He has is magic sword and rowan shield out.

"Ugh, I hate the dead. They should stay that way."

[sulldawga]

"Wait," says Marodin. "We should finish our sweep of the castle before we enter these caves. Don't go too far."

[frobozz]

Lanny the elf

Lanny finishes his examination of the excavated tunnel.

"Well, it sure looks like something dug its way in here... I would guess that the smell of the dead bodies rotting away in this mausoleum might have permeated the cracks in the stone walls and inspired some undead from the caverns to claw their way in here to have a feast. From the looks of it, they picked every single bone clean too. So perhaps they will have no reason to return..."

Lanny glances around at his companions.

"If we wish to continue into the caverns, we should do so with our usual caution. If we wish to finish clearing the rest of the basement first, I would suggest that we spike shut the door to the south that leads into the mausoleum, after we are finished in here... Thordin, what details can you see by torchlight of the passageway beyond the tunnel?"

Party Caller: Hmmm. Based on the IC and OOC comments, it looks like we have a split vote on whether to enter the caverns now or to finish clearing the basement first. I count 4 votes to enter the cavern in cautious pursuit of the undead (Rhys, Thordin, Bregalad, Innana) and 4 votes to seal off the area and continue clearing the basement level (Marodin, Lanny, Drudsa, Tratiln). However, I think there was a general consensus to at least peer into the caverns to make sure it's not just a small cave or something, where we could quickly corner and kill the fleeing undead. I think we should at least do that before making any further decisions.

[Bouv]

Tratiln thinks for a moment. "I would like to finish the castle before we draw ourselves further into the cave system. I saw we try to block it to keep anything from entering and if our block is taken down, we can determine if something came in or went out."

[Finglas]

Bregalad the elf

"I would prefer that we continue onward into the cavern. But if we do decide to return to the level above, then I can spike the door shut, as you suggest, Lantharios."

Bregalad carries a small hammer and two spikes in his pack.

[frobozz]

Lanny the elf

Just for clarification, we know that there are at least three unopened doors on this basement level - one in the east wing and two in the west wing. I added a map of the basement level to the Maps Thread. The blue outline shows the walls of the castle proper, while the red outline shows the outer walls that surround the castle and its courtyard (these outlines may not be completely to scale, by the way). So, it looks like we would be getting further away from the castle if we enter into the caverns.

[Alethan]

I'm fine with recovering the plate mail, pulling back, spiking the odor, and dealing with these undead later...

[thirdkingdom]

Thordin advances to the edge of the natural cavern and discerns that it is not a room, but a winding tunnel that continues off into the distance. His natural dwarfiness alerts him to the fact that the tunnel, in fact, seems to gradually descend the further it goes.

[frobozz]

Lanny the elf

Party Caller: It looks like there are now 5 votes to seal off the area and finish clearing the basement level. So, when the party has finished the rest of its activities in the mausoleum, the next logical direction should be through the southern door located in the empty room to the south.

Hearing the initial report from Thordin, Lanny shakes his head.

“There could be an entire den of undead creatures down there… Eventually, we will want to seal off this tunnel permanently, to prevent further incursions from below, but for now I think that a couple of spikes in that door to the south will keep the creatures contained inside the mausoleum, if they do decide to ever return to this area…”

Lanny looks around at the various pieces of plate mail armor the party has gathered.

“Well, I suppose it’s not a bad thing that it is in pieces… I would hate to be the one to have to lug around a complete suit of plate mail armor. Just be sure that all the parts are there.”

As the party makes preparations to leave, Lanny walks slowly along the side walls of the mausoleum with one of the torchbearers, his eyes passing over each niche in turn, looking mainly for any inscriptions or symbols carved into the stone indicating the final resting place of anyone of historical significance.

[thirdkingdom]

The niches are unmarked. Even if they were, it would be impossible to tell whose remains belonged where, as the bones are in complete disarray, and nary a complete skeleton can be found.

So, it sounds like you guys want to go through the southern door?

[Finglas]

So, it sounds like you guys want to go through the southern door?

Bregalad the elf

Yes, I believe so. Bregalad will spike shut the door to the mausoleum, and then the group will see what is beyond the southern door of this basement.

[sulldawga]

Marodin agrees that the southern door is their next step.

[Bouv]

Tratiln is ok with the southern door

[Alethan]

Rhys agrees, as well.

[frobozz]

Lanny the elf

"Best to be off, before they return in greater numbers... To the south, then."

Lanny picks up one the pieces of plate mail, determined to carry his share of the load. He walks over to Marodin and places the piece or armor near the cleric's rowan shield to see if it vibrates from detecting magical energies.

"I just want to be sure... I hate to carry around a lot of dead weight for no reason."

Lanny returns to the marching order and is ready to proceed.

[thirdkingdom]

The shield does vibrate when the armor is placed near it.

[frobozz]

Lanny the elf

Lanny takes one more look around the mausoleum as the party departs.

"You know, I think this room holds some promise as part of our future residence... I think it would make a nice exercise room, being cool and comfortable during the summer months, and it is certainly spacious enough for some weapons training as well... We would definitely want to patch that hole in the wall, though..."

[thirdkingdom]

The adventurers return and open the southern door. The passage before the runs 30' before turning west. They advance to the turn and peer around the corner. The passage runs for another ten feet before terminating in a closed door.

Rhys examines the door and determines it to be locked, but not trapped. At least not that he can tell.