Barrowmaze: Of Where-Rats and Mongrelmen.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

Four plinths, lets take two each while Callan & Rum watch the corridor.

Vann Hector: Find Traps vs 40% [1d100]=20 Remove/disable vs 40% [1d100]=29

Vann Hector: Find Traps vs 40% [1d100]=90 Remove/disable vs 40% [1d100]=48

I will check the two furthest from the door.

"Sundance, check for other sectet doors if you can. Sigrid, perhaps you can identify whatever the Runic tablet we discovered does?" he asks trying to involve the mages too.

I think search here rather than hunting the undead down is a better task.

[Kenjosephus]

Veryn

Yes, sir.

Veryn will check the two that is nearest from the door, the one that Vann Hector didn't cover.

find trap vs 20% [1d100]=60 remove trap vs 25% [1d100]=1

find trap vs 20% [1d100]=21 remove trap vs 25% [1d100]=9

My God, this is some depressing roll

[Darithe]

Sigrid

Now that the threat has dissipated, at least the obvious skeletal one, she returns to studying the runic tablet.

Repost of my earlier roll.
Intelligence (14) Check: [3d6]=11

[Spearmint]

she returns to studying the runic tablet.

answered in private thread

[Craigers07]

Rum

Rum walks out to the corridor and stops. He looks down the passage as far as his eyes can see and stands guard while the others search.

[Hadarai]

Callen

The Cleric takes position next to Rum, standing at the ready.

[Spearmint]

Well at least if there were traps, you might remove them. As it is, none of the plinths are trapped and none have any hidden niches or secrets that could be found.

Sundance doesn't find sny secrets but Sigrid can decipher the cryptic inscriptions upon the Runic tablet which suggest that reading it may provide the reader with a temporary blessing of spiritual armour. Familiar with invoking the mage spell Shield, this looks to be a full body upgrade upon that spell.

Rather than chanting the inscription and invoking the magic now, the mage can take a rubbing of the inscription in the hope that she can later learn the flow of syllables and runes in order to replicate the effects as a spell she might be able to learn and cast herself.

Actions, Sigrid, provide an Intelligence check to successfully capture the runic inscription.

The dead Sapphire Skeleton has only the shards of the dull gem inset into its forehead. Shattered into splinters, the collective is pouched up and the flakes could be sold on, the Rosy Quartz in Helix values the whole gems at 100gp, a broken one maybe a quarter of that value. The modus operandi then is to carefully dig out the gem after the Sapphire Skeleton has been slain the first time and before it energises the regeneration, which seems to have a four round time frame.

Apart from the four plinths, which reasonably could act as four dry, hard but cold sleeping places, there is nothing else of interest in the room unless you want to gnaw upon a skewered rat.

Outside, Callan & Rum watch with bated breath for any sign of the Sapphire Skeletons return. But they have fled and presently not returned to the area. The pair can sneak after them up the hallway and note they must have exited via the illusory wall and into the Wraith Statue room. Checking that far, they are not in that room and either 'doubled back' to the left (into the Grotesque Hallway) or to the right (corridor leading to the pit trap and Ice Block or lastly into the Rat Room and beyond to encounter your other adventuring comrades.

The pair return, checking on the eastern hallway in this area (where the Undead cats were found), but nothing seems recently disturbed.

It leaves then two unexplored avenues. One the blocked up passage and two, the crypt door in the middle. Listening here does not provide any clues to activity beyond. The door opens into a strangely decorated passage. The ceiling is plastered black but twinkling glass star shapes are inset into it, giving a 'starry night' feel. The end of the corridor before it turns contains a painted Sun symbol, related to the deities of Law and Good. By the wall to your left is a line of five dead rats, placed head to tail in a file, the fourth of which is pierced by a crossbow bolt.

The passage extends south thirty feet before turning to the right.

Actions please

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

"Good idea. Take two rubbings, one for Sundance" he says, then both mages can add an additional spell if they can research the inscriptions.

I am glad not to chase the regenerating skeletons, the less combat the better. Opening the door I will check out the scene.

"Is that just cheap glass or are they gemstones?" can anyone tell? May Rum might appraise such better than most?

So I feel the line of rats look an obvious trap. I am reminded of the Potter's Mound entrance that had obvious traps and unseen ones afterwards. So I will poke each with the tip of my sword. If nothing proceed forward but thinking 'three rats equal three steps' (or squares), fourth shafted rat, fourth step (or square) sets a trap off?

Vann Hector: Find & Remove Traps vs 30% [1d100]=78

I can't note anything myself but I have some instinct I hope and make room for Veryn to add his skills. I will check ceiling starry scene and the Sun mural on the wall.

[Darithe]

Sigrid

Sigrid carefully makes rubbings of the runic tablet for both herself and her friend Sundance, hoping they might both master the spell. She holds her copy up to the light and tries to decipher the intricate pattern.




Intelligence (14) check: [4d6]=10

[Hadarai]

Callen

Callen goes to inspect the mural alongside Vann Hector, checking perhaps if his religious training would provide any additional context.

[Kenjosephus]

Veryn

Veryn will pick up the shard of the crystal of the skeleton. Looking at the starry night ceiling awes him, sort of detach him for a few seconds of the fact that he is in a crypt. Looking at Vann Hector and the fourth rat pierced by the bolt, Veryn nods in understandment and help Vann Hector to find and disable what presumably a crossbow trap.

find trap vs 20% [1d100]=17 remove trap vs 25% [1d100]=19

noice

[Spearmint]

Exploring beyond the Rat Room.

Rum Lightbender brings up the rear, guarding folk from any return of Turned skeletons.

Veryn follows Vann's guidance. While the elf and cleric investigate the Sun mural, Veryn checks the corridor as it turns, noting that the flagstone covering the next '10'ft square' is actually a false cover that consists of drop-leaf trapdoors and taking his pack tied to a rope, throws it upon the middle of the two doors. The pack weight is enough to drop open the trigger bolt and would cause an unsuspecting person, probably halfling weight and above, to crash down into the pit chasm below.

There seems to be some clockwork gear mechanism or weighted counter chains that slowly draw up the doors from the folding down position to seamlessly close shut, flush to the floor and unnoticeable to all but the most suspicious of eyes.

A pit trap located, it can be easily navigated over (usually vs a Dex check if you need to jump while being pursued). The corridor ends ten feet later in another crypt door.

The two rogues can congratulate themselves in finding a potential deathtrap and in another win for elven racial abilities, a secret door, set into the western wall before the Sun mural can also be located.

Vann Hector, Veryn and Sundance: secrets revealed [1d100]=2 [1d100]=16 [1d100]=84

The Sun mural has no apparent significance upon Callan's observation. The starry ceiling, painted black with inset glassy stars looks pock marked in places, certain stars being dug out, presumably they carried more worth than cheap glass beads.

Observing the pattern of stars, it may reflect an actual constellation arrangement,

Actions: anyone wanting to figure out which Constellation or Celestial body it might represent needs a successful [4d6] vs Wisdom/Intelligence check.

Sigrid succeeds to take a rubbing for future spell research, as does Sundance

Sundance: runic rubbing collection quality: vs 16 [4d6]=13

which means you can have confidence to invoke the tablet's enchantment and still retain some measure of its scripted jots and iotas for study.

Listening for activity beyond crypt or secret doors does not provide sny information. You know the proverbial 'quiet as the grave'. The crypt door is locked, so will need some barging or a success on Open Locks. The secret door seems to open inwards and a chamber, foul and stale beckons beyond.

Any actions & skill checks.

[Kenjosephus]

Veryn

Veryn felt giddy and excited for his first successful job as a trap expert, but snaps back and focus himself.

Question, what are the nature of the secret door? Is it a door camouflaged as a wall? Second, do i see the clockwork gear mechanism or such of the trap pit in order to jam it?

"Anyone has a chalk, gonna draw some sign for the sake of other party so that they do not fall into the pit trap"

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

"Good job. Saved us from a fall "

I will look into the pit in case previous victims are still at the bottom and we can loot some treasure or gear from them.

How deep is it? Mark the trap to make others aware but keep the secret door access secret still.

Choosing between crypt door and secret door, I would choose the secret one, thinking about Gerdal's augury.

"Secrets beyond secrets will bring you into the light where Shadows stalk in darkness and those you seek hunker over bread and wine; praying for help and a sacrificial offering."

Maybe the secrets in her soothsaying are secret doors?

[Craigers07]

Rum

Rum looks over the starry ceiling from below and tries to identify anything familiar.

Int(10) check: [4d6]=10

He puts his battle axe down and rests his hands on top of the handle.

"Hmm...."

[Spearmint]

He puts his battle axe down and rests his hands on top of the handle.

Rum Lightbender, you think one part of the night cosmos scene tracks the journey of a comet, with one particular shiny star representing its blazing passage. You can pluck it out, figuring that among the base ornamental stars, this one has a bit more value and worth.
add, 'Comet' star-jewel to your inventory which can be appraised later in the jewelers.

Question, what are the nature of the secret door? Is it a door camouflaged as a wall? Second, do i see the clockwork gear mechanism or such of the trap pit in order to jam it?

It is just a simple hinged door, about 3ft wide and 6ft high.

Taking a look at the drop-leaf trap doors and its mechanism, you can cut free the counterweight
chain to disable it from the gears, leaving the trap permanently open.

It is over 30'ft deep and the remains of two skeletal and rotting figures lie at the bottom.

Opening the secret door and peeking inside, the room beyond vacant. A 20'ft square chamber with a door directly opposite and an open 10'ft alcove off the SW corner of the crypt. Inside that crypt is another crypt door that has a wrought bronzed Cat-head fixture, dangling from its mouth a large bronze rodent which seems to be some kind of door knocker.



Actions please

[Craigers07]

Rum

Rum adds the jewel to his inventory. He points to the cat door knocker beyond the secret door on the other side of the room.

"Who wants to join me in knocking on the door with that bronze rodent to see if anyone is home?"

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

Leaves Rum to 'rat-a-tat-cat' on one door, I will go take the other.

Listening at it but not opening it.

"Disabling the trap in the corridor is a good thing. Pit traps are the worst surprises."

It seems from the pits I have encountered here, victims are just left abandoned to their fate. They might have minor trove on them or be more trouble than they are worth. I still have rope if someone wants to get belayed down and search them.

[Darithe]

Sigrid

Sigrid eyes the cat/rat door knocker with disdain, remember the undead caterwaul that nearly killed her. So she hangs back from that. Nor does she care to be lowered down to search trapped dead for potential valuables, so she watches Rum waiting to see the surprise that waits behind door number one.

[Kenjosephus]

Veryn

Veryn pulls out the dagger and cut the counter weight chain to ensure the hidden trap is now just a pit. He will then be on guard of what would happen with the rat and cat door