Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He turns to pull the raft further ashore but stops doing so when others voice concern. "It's fine, right?"

Shrugging, he turns to the task in front of them. "Ok. Down the stairs and explore more of those large doors. Maybe we can find another library or something with information about that trap gem."

[subaltari]

Magda

Grateful for land the witch mounts the stairs with the others, then plops her gear down at the top and busies herself with wringing out the hemline of her dress to shed some of the chilly water.

He turns to pull the raft further ashore but stops doing so when others voice concern. "It's fine, right?"

"The further up it is from shore, the less chance of the river worm molesting it again, I think. As for the other creature, there's no telling."

Shrugging, he turns to the task in front of them. "Ok. Down the stairs and explore more of those large doors. Maybe we can find another library or something with information about that trap gem."

"And check on our friend Belloc, of course..."

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril begins moving into the structure, but then realizes he definitely does not want to be the tip of the spear for this incursion.

"Can we carry the raft into this structure?"

He readies his sling...

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
The Dome
No Idea On Time Or Day

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As the team hurries through the doors into the domed building, they see a massive black tentacle rise from the water, grabbing onto their only raft and pulling it from the shore where it quickly disappears under the surface of the water.

Hurrying inside before any of them are similarly molested, they spot the massive stairs leading down and the fist sized gem that has caused them so much grief recently.

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You find no indication that anyone has been in here since you left.

Actions?

Taibhse (Sh3) FA:0(20) AC5 15/15
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 17/17
Akhilleus (F4) FA:4 AC4 35/35
Kainaxarthos (C3) FA:2 AC6 19/19 Sanct
Magda (W2) FA:0 AC9 8/8 Hooded Lantern
Sik (Ba2) FA:1 AC5 18/25 Torch
Cyril (Pr3) FA:1 AC8 12/12

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He shakes his head at his own folly. "I can't believe I actually said that. Tempting the gods like that is neophyte stuff."

"Nothing to do but push on. Down the stairs. Not touching the still obvious trap." Kain gives the gem trap a wide berth and heads for the giant stairs.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"I would’ve liked to pull the raft inland. But maybe we’d be the ones getting pulled into the water."

He heads along with Kain and the others toward the stairs.

[silifi]

"Tiaavuluk!" Sik curses in his native tongue as the creature pulls the raft underneath the waves. He wonders now if he will ever escape this dreadful place. But he follows the others down the stairs, accepting his fate.

[subaltari]

"Tiaavuluk!" Sik curses...

Magda doesn't know what Sik just said, but she agrees with it. She hurries with the others past the ill-fated jewel and prepares for another difficult climb down the Cyclopean staircase.

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril

"Those tentacles looked vaguely familiar somehow...Regardless. Onward to find our friend!"


So we aren't touching the Gem...here is the most recent post with a map:
viewtopic.php?p=719721#p719721
So go south from room 50? or it looks like a room northeast of 36?

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Beneath The Dome
Still No Idea On Time Or Day

Bypassing the glowing gem that took Drest and Skavi from them, Magda suddenly gets a strange premonition when she thinks back on her favorite pet rat. (see private thread)

It takes some time, but the group is able to descend the huge stairway again where they enter the round multi-door room they discovered earlier. This area also looks the same as when they left it, with no new threats to investigate.

Underborea 1 - Copy.jpeg (110.91 KiB) Viewed 293 times

The massive cyclopian statue stares down at you with its huge single eye, as if it were trying to read into your souls.

Actions?

Taibhse (Sh3) FA:0(20) AC5 15/15
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 17/17
Akhilleus (F4) FA:4 AC4 35/35
Kainaxarthos (C3) FA:2 AC6 19/19 Sanct
Magda (W2) FA:0 AC9 8/8 Hooded Lantern
Sik (Ba2) FA:1 AC5 18/25 Torch
Cyril (Pr3) FA:1 AC8 12/12

[silifi]

Sik looks towards the eastern passage "This is where we had been looking before Drest disappeared, right? Perhaps there we can begin our search."

[subaltari]

Magda

Sik looks towards the eastern passage "This is where we had been looking before Drest disappeared, right? Perhaps there we can begin our search."

"Indeed, but we also realized the holes in the far wall may be a gas trap, that's why we withdrew earlier."

The Ixian woman is still catching her breath after the long, tedious descent of three-foot high stairs. She looks up into the baleful eye of the statue... and then gasps softly as she receives her premonition.

"I... I got a lingering vision from my Skavi... I am not certain, but we may be closer to where he and Drest were," Magda explains haltingly. "The image was of those stairs down into a great dark chasm, past the Hyperborean's room but before the cliff, below which we met the pig-demon. Remember? we avoided that chasm after you, Sik, threw a rock and never heard it land..."

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[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He gasps along with Magda. "Could they be at the bottom?" Kain looks to the others. "Then maybe there is a way down somewhere in this complex!"

Kain nods to the large doors to the north. "We should at least see what's behind door number three."

[shaidar]

Xenos

"I agree, we should check out the third door. If we cannot find a way down then I will have no option but to touch the gem."

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"Yes, I agree. Those look like our best options. Let's move." The warrior takes an uneasy look at the statue of the cyclops.

I thought I already answered

[silifi]

Sik nods his head and starts heading for the northern door.

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
The Search For Drest?
Still No Idea On Time Or Day

The feeling of being watched in here has not passed since your last visit, raising the paranoia level amongst the party. Magda the Witch shares a strange vision she received mentally as they entered the massive underground complex. And as is normally the case, the entire group simply ignores any possible meaning behind it.

Instead, they move to the huge verdigris double doors to the north, finding them unlocked and slightly ajar. Pushing them in reveals a 10 foot wide hallway ending in a wider room 30 feet away. They approach the room with lights held out in front of them to find something strange. 8 copper-topped tables are spread throughout the room, the tops also showing signs of heavy verdigris patina. Four rotting wooden chairs are set about each table, and a second much smaller wooden door can be seen on the south wall.

The thing that really gets your attention is the 7 foot humanoid figure standing in the center of the room. This thing is human in shape only, appearing to be made up of several different body parts that were severed at one point before being sewn back together. The horrible monster doesn't charge at the group however, instead pointing back over their heads at the hallway behind them, moaning to itself in unintelligible grunts.

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Actions?

Underborea 1 - Copy (3).jpeg (111.99 KiB) Viewed 204 times

Taibhse (Sh3) FA:0(20) AC5 15/15
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 17/17
Akhilleus (F4) FA:4 AC4 35/35
Kainaxarthos (C3) FA:2 AC6 19/19 Sanct
Magda (W2) FA:0 AC9 8/8 Hooded Lantern
Sik (Ba2) FA:1 AC5 18/25 Torch
Cyril (Pr3) FA:1 AC8 12/12

[silifi]

"Nope." Sik says, and slowly backs out of the hallway, axe at the ready, thinking Magda's vision is likely a better route.

[subaltari]

Magda's natural curiosity has returned. Although she prudently keeps Sik and at least one other warrior between herself and the hulking figure, she remains in the hallway to gawk into the room at it.

"Why, I believe that is what some call a Promethean, and others a golem. Constructed by some long gone necromancer or wizard, said to be either ambitious or foolish, since the one who isn't destroyed by his own creation is oft burned by an angry mob."

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"Well, then it appears that Promethean is protecting something. It warned us. We better heed it. We still have options. Let's try pig demon's route. The one from your vision, Magda."