(Arc 5-2) Fuck Goblins, let's go explore tyrant gnomes!

[Anastasia]

> The trip out the gates is a brisk one. Biggs and Wedge salute as you head out, your destination to the northern forest wilds. The first day passes without incident, farmsteads giving way to forest as night falls. The second day is quiet, into a sylvan wilderness. Yet on the third day, as the party wakens? Resting in a small clearing, you notice that you can smell smoke in the air. Heavy smoke.
* Seira attempts to discern the direction the smoke is coming from.
* Shamal gets up quickly, looking around as well for the source of the fire.
> This point isn't hard. The wind is blowing in from the north, a small breeze.  It's therefore coming from the north.
> Shamal doesn't see an immediate source of fire, just more woods ahead.
<Seira> "Should we investigate?" Seira questions.
* Berlioz blinks. "That's probably a no-brainer."
<Seira> "We do not have much invested in this," Seira elaborates. "This incident is not taking place within our borders, nor are beasts prone to setting things on fire. We may just end up dragged into a conflict."
<Shamal> "That much smoke is more than a simple campfire, we should be careful - forest fires can advance with terrifying speed," Shamal cautions, gathering up her supplies before mounting her horse.
<Berlioz> "The issue is if this fire reaches the forest. We'll be in trouble regardless", the bard deadpans, packing up and mounting.
> As the party gets set, they notice that the smell of smoke and burning is becoming stronger in the wind.
<Shamal> "If the forest is on fire there's nothing we can do," Shamal looks sad, "Our best option is to move in the opposite direction, lest it surround us."
<Seira> "If this is a forest fire, should we not move away from it swiftly?" Seira asks, before nodding at Shamal.
* Lyselle nods, smiling slightly and checking her gear. "Shamal's the most knowledgeable of forestry..."
<Shamal> "If you give me a moment to prepare, I can ready a spell that will aid us if the fire gets too close, but I would prefer if we avoid it entirely," Shamal offers, before bowing her head as she prays to Mielikki to grant her daily spells.
* Berlioz sighs. "At this point, we have options somewhat resembling the ones a man in a sealed well has. So, we just try to leave the forest and, if we get lucky enough to get that far, wait for the fire to subside once safe?"
<Seira> "Your dog can travel faster than us, can she not?" Seira asks Shamal, packing away her things. "Could you send her over to check on things, with an order to retreat if it gets dangerous?"
<Shamal> "Actually my horse is probably faster than Rin, if running full speed," Shamal returns, her spells ready. "But sending someone to 'check out' a forest fire is extremely foolish," she cautions, looking North to see if there's any visual cues making themselves apparent, yet.
> After a few minutes, you can begin to see a bit of smoke poking up into the sky. It's still faint but starting to creep southernward, towards the party.
> As the party looks and waits, all can easily here something making noises in the bush ahead of you.
<Shamal> "The fire approaches," Shamal notes, turning her horse about and about to leave before she hears the other noises. "And something else..." she looks in the direction of the noise.
* Berlioz turns around towards the direction of the sudden noises. "What the..."
> *as the party moves on.
<Lyselle> "Hm?" Lyselle asks, turning on the bushes, raising an eyebrow at the movement.
<Seira> Even on the move from sudden forest fires, Seira tries to keep herself blended with the environment!
> Bursting out from the bushes, huffing and puffing? It's a goblin - green skinned and wearing studded leather armor. A small goblin's sword hangs at it's belt, doubled over as it tries to catch it's breath. It's face is streaked with black soot, a sack held in one hand.
* Seira looks at him to see if he's her self-declared nemesis!
<Shamal> "I hope *you* didn't start the fire," Shamal frowns disapprovingly at the little goblin.
> Doesn't look like it. Just a normal goblin in slightly nicer than usual armor. As the party looks, the goblin wearily looks up. "...hey, humans! You run! You should run! Big fire's comin', village is in the damn way."
<Lyselle> "He's being far more helpful than any goblins we've come in contact with..." Lyselle notes idly, snorting a bit.
<Seira> It's enough for Seira, who begins to move away once more, slowly enough to not lose sight of her friends.
<Berlioz> "... that's not exactly heart-warming. Anyhow, a village in the way?", Berlioz deadpans.
<Shamal> "What village?" Shamal asks, starting to fret a bit.
> As Seira moves away, the goblin looks up. "Ours. Trolls are movin' further down this way again. We killed one that tried to take our things, but the fire got outta control. 'least all the soldiers are gonna live."
<Shamal> "So you did start the fire..." Shamal sighs. "Don't let us keep you, then, you better warn your village."
> "You kiddin'? I'm running AWAY from it." The goblin spits, "I ain't gonna burn alive."
<Berlioz> "And what do we have to do with it, anyway?"
> The goblin shrugs, righting himself. "Dunno. I'm goin' in case the fire spreads further."
<Shamal> "Which is what we should do," Shamal nods. "There's nothing to be gained standing around and waiting for the flames to overtake us."
* Berlioz sighs, and begins galloping back into the road the party was following before that untimely interruption. "Indeed."
> "Smart humans." The goblin grunts, but calls, "One more thing!"
* Lyselle nods and heads onwards. Just more goblins in the way.
<Lyselle> "What?" Lyselle finally asks, as the rear guard, pausing to look at him.
> "Lookin' to go north or east?" he asks bluntly. "Know a good way, fire shouldn't go that way."
<Shamal> "We're actually heading West, but thank you for the offer," Shamal returns, before spurring her horse onwards, Rin likewise following as they do indeed head West. They can circle around the fire easily enough after a bit of travel that way.
* Lyselle just shrugs, riding away again.
* Berlioz bites his tongue and follows his companions.
> So the party rides on! To the west, back towards the coastline. The smoky smell lingers most of the way, but by the time you reach the rugged coast, ground wet and preswamplike, the fiery scent has finally faded altogether.
> OOC - Okay, I'm basically waiting on if you're going to do anything or declare directions, whichever.
<Shamal> "Let's follow the coastline North for a bit before heading inland, so we can be sure avoiding the fire those goblins so carelessly set?" Shamal suggests to her friends.
<Seira> "Fine by me."
* Berlioz nods. "Probably the best we could do. I trust your judgment here, Shamal."
> So the party heads along the coast another day. The ground gets swampier, soon wet and logy. The weather turns cooler, a nip of frost in the air. While you can smell the ocean at times, there is also a heavier, rotting scent of the swamp. On your fourth day of journey, you come what looks to be the remnant of a natural road, up a strange hill jutting out of the coastal swamp.  IT would lead you back towards the east, or you could keep following the coast as well.
> *manmade road. I hate my typos so much.
> or you could keep following the coast as well.
<Shamal> "Let's follow this road?" Shamal suggests. "Do us some good to get away from this bog... of course, roads in the wilderness are favoured by brigands, so we would do well to be careful."
* Berlioz sighs blankly. "We might as well be wandering in circles if we keep going alongside the coast. I guess it's fine."
* Lyselle just nods, keeping an eye out as suggested.
> As you head down the road, notice it's mostly overgrown, but at one point in the far past it was cobbled, a few surviving.  The hill is ahead - strangely the hill is brown rock, no grass on it or trees, or any sort of vegetation. IT goes up about fifty feet, a long dome poking out of the ground. OOC - Spot check, L-chan.
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+1 and gets 21." [1d20=20]
<Lyselle> "Hey," Lyselle pauses, stopping to look closer. "There's a sort of fissure here..."
> So Lyselle goes up, about to the fourty foot mark of the dome, on the close side ascending. She can see the fissure, it blends into the rock surprisingly well. It's about two feet long and a foot wide. It's dark, but it's also noticibly hollow.
* Lyselle takes her iron mace, using it to probe and prod curiously into the hollow, checking it for anything, or if goes deeper.
<Shamal> "Interesting... I doubt any Dire Bears could fit through there, though, so shall we investigate?" Shamal asks.
> It goes quite deep, you don't feel anything by poking inside of the hole.
<Lyselle> "...Honestly, I'm pretty sure this hill is a building. This might be a chimney or something," Lyselle offers her thesis, shrugging. "It's about all I can come up with for an explanation...and who knows what might be inside."
* Berlioz scratches his head. "We're pretty far from our home intentions anyway. By this point, might as well do something while the dust doesn't settle."
* Shamal follows Lyselle up to the fissure and proceeds to cast Light on a convenient pebble and then toss it down the hole so they can see better within.
> Woosh! The pebble goes flying down! At least sixty feet, illuminating! You see the entire hill is hollow, supported by old, humanoid/human made pillars. A few feet of water lie at the bottom of the chamber, the pebble submerged. It looks rather big down there...
<Shamal> "I don't think any of us can squeeze through that gap so should we look for another entrance?" Shamal asks, peering down. "It definitely looks like artifical construction, inside."
* Lyselle nods. "Would probably be the best, the difficulties of navigating vertical passages aside even."
> OOC - Okay, so doing anything, people? If you're searching around, describe where you are for me?
* Shamal nods and begins to work her way around the perimeter of the dome, searching for any other holes.
* Seira examines the insides of the hill to determine the most probable entrances to the structure, before attempting to locate them on the outside.
* Lyselle follows suit, carefully and methodically inspecting the rest of area on the actual hillside.
> OOC - First of all, search/spot check, Shamal. Whichever is better.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+10 spot
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+10 spot and gets 13." [1d20=3]
<Shamal> OOC: alertness reroll!
<Shamal> roll 1d20+10 spot
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+10 spot and gets 28." [1d20=18]
> Seira looks down. With her low light vision she can see a fair bit better than Shamal. There are four pillars supporting the hill, one at each cardinal direction, and a broken pillar in the middle, no longer supporting. You can see some sort of small indents inthe water by where the pebble fell, some sort of pattern.
> Shamal notes that a bit of the earth on the northern side is discolored, more of a deep, smoother brown, almost tinging on a black.
> OOC - Where on the dome, L-chan?
<Lyselle> OOC - Circling it around the mid-section, taking my time.
> OOC - Spot or search, whichever is better. Also a hearing check.
<Shamal> Lacking other ideas, Shamal pokes the blackened earth with her quarterstaff!
> The black dirt is pushed back a bit. You note that it's a nice slot, only this smooth bit of mismatching rock in the way. Pushed back, you can see that the walls are smooth, no resistance to it being pusehd back so.
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+2 search
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+2 search and gets 18." [1d20=16]
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+1 listen
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+1 listen and gets 3." [1d20=2]
> Lyselle finds little of instance or note.
* Shamal pushes the earth back further, wondering if it's a dirtied up doorway or something. "I think I've found something!" she calls to the others.
* Lyselle goes over to assist Shamal in scraping dirt away.
> With another push, the block falls! It falls about ten or twenty feet, plopping down into the water. There is now about a four by four foot hole in the hill's base, slanted for easy ingress.
<Shamal> "That did it," Shamal smiles, crouching down a bit so she can carefully clamber inside.
> Clambering inside, you can see that there's still about a ten foot drop between the end of this and th etop of the fallen block.
<Shamal> "Rin, stay out here," Shamal commands her dog, before climbing down the rest of the way. Rin would have trouble getting back out, really.
> OOC - Make a climbing check.
<Shamal> OOC: taking 10 for 11
> Shamal takes her time down the slope, but finds that her careful, steady effort isn't enough! About halfway down she slips, a hard landing onto the stone tablet! Ow!
> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 and gets 5." [1d6=5]
<Seira> "Shamal!" Seira calls down to the druid. "You found another entrance?"
<Shamal> "Ow..." Shamal groans as she picks herself up. At least she didn't land in the water and soak herself. "Yes, be careful, though, it needs a bit of a climb..." Regaining her bearings, she looks around her new surroundings.
<Seira> "Don't move just yet," Seira cautions Shamal. "There are strange markings that could be runes all over. Try your magical sight." Having said that, she heads towards where the brick fell inwards, seeking out this entrance.
> It's a large dome. There are four pillars, one at each relative corner. In the middle is a fallen pillar, collasped. The top looks badly cracked, the peak of the hill starting to slowly crumble. On the ground, you note what looks to be some sort of pattern of indents and stones under the three feet of standing water. There's a door far on the west side, a small pillared archway.
<Shamal> "Okay," Shamal calls back to Seira, proceeding to cast Detect Magic. "I see a door to the West as well."
> Shamal sees no magic in the room.
* Seira decides to make her way towards Shamal's entrance anyway, wishing to examine the markings on the stone.
<Shamal> "No magic!" she calls, moving to the edge of the block and looking back to see if anyone will join her.
* Lyselle follows Shamal in, carefully moving down the incline in her armor, and keeping a firm grip on the holds and walls as she goes.
> OOC - Climb check as well, L-chaaaaaaaaaaaan.
<Lyselle> OOC - Taking 10 for 16.
> Lyselle is able to reach the bottom and the slab without incident. She finishes up right besides Shamal.
* Seira uses her length of rope to secure one end outside, before carefully climbing down with its help!
> OOC - No check with rope and a slope, no real chance of failing.
> Seira also reaches the bottom, leaving Berlioz and Rin topside.
<Seira> OOC: I survive the 10ft drop!
* Seira examines the carvings on the block!
> OOC - Knowledge arcana.
<Seira> roll 1d20+5 curses
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+5 curses and gets 9." [1d20=4]
> Seira can't place the symbols - little runes and engravings. Strange little ones, swirly.
<Shamal> Finished her magic detecting gaze, Shamal takes a look over the runes Seira pointed out to see if she can discern their significance.
* Seira frowns. "Shamal, what do you make of these?" she asks, pointing at the carvings.
* Berlioz decides to finally climb down, taking advantage of the rope placed by Seira to move down.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+8
> OOC - Knowledge arcana Shamal.
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 and gets 24." [1d20=16]
> Berlioz reaches the bottom safely as well.
<Shamal> "Looks like something relating to moving stone... the actual enchantment must be gone by now, I suppose," Shamal explains. "Anyway, no choice but to get wet if we want to examine that door." With that, she hops down into the water and starts wading across to the West side of the chamber.
<Seira> "Wait," Seira calls out, before making her way to the markings she saw from above.
> The water reaches about up to Shamal'ships. It's chilly and semi stagnant. Smells like swamp water, nasty. OOC - Knowledge Arcana again, Seira.
<Seira> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+5 and gets 8." [1d20=3]
* Seira sighs, and points out the stones. "This appeared to form a pattern from above," she tells Shamal.
> Again Seira ends up scratching her head, uncertain.
<Shamal> "Hm?" Shamal looks at where Seira indicates to see if anything catches her attention. "Also, the water is *really* cold," she warns, shivering a bit.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+8 arcana
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+8 arcana and gets 25." [1d20=17]
<Shamal> "I'm not certain, but I think this could have once been either a summoning or teleportation circle. Perhaps the first runes were used to align the stones for that purpose?" she surmises, before picking up the pace in wading to the door at the West and hopefully out of the water.
> Swishing through the water, you reach the west passage. It's a set of stairs carved out into the ground, going sharpely down. It's quite dark down there, not a single source of light beyond a fallen pebble.
<Seira> "Perhaps," Seira agrees, and tries to get the glowing pebble.
> There's a bit of water that trickles down the stairs, but it doesn't look flooded. Seira can easily go back and grab the enchanted pebble if she wants, the one Shamal threw down.
* Seira retrieves it, before returning with it to Shamal's side to provide illumination for them.
<Shamal> "There's stairs leading down - it's damp but not flooded," Shamal calls, proceeding to cast prestidigitation so she can dry herself off and warm up a bit.
> Ahead is a long, sharply downward stair. It goes on farther than you can see.
* Lyselle frowns a little, settling a hand on her sword. "Heading down? Expecting danger?"
<Seira> "Always," Seira agrees, offering the glowing pebble to someone else as she takes hold of her bow.
* Berlioz sighs. "Fine, fine. We go", the bard replies dryly and picking the pebble from Seira's hand.
> Ten minutes of walking down. The walls become smoothed over stone, your path westward and quite deep into the ground.  The smell of the swamp is fading, into a strange, still aired mustiness. Dust has settled down, each step coated in it. An occasional air movement comes from th eway you came, helping to freshen up a bit. Still no end in sight, more steps ahead.
<Shamal> "Wherever this goes, it's tremendously deep..." Shamal remarks, glancing back and seeing no sign of the entrance they came in by. Hopefully Rin isn't getting too bored waiting...
* Seira occasionally looks back to ensure no nasty surprises are there for them, but mostly keeps her eye out for what's ahead.
> OOC - Spot checks if you like/are paying attention as you go.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+2 spot
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+2 spot and gets 6." [1d20=4]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+10 and gets 30." [1d20=20]
> Another five minutes as you go down. None of you note anything abornmal, until you come to a door, a small branchoff platform. The stairs still keep going down, however, depths still far reaching. It's a plain doorway, a knob and all.
<Shamal> "Well, I'd rather see something new than another few hundred feet of stairs," Shamal sighs in some relief.
* Berlioz bites his lips and thinks for a moment. "Unless the door hides -yet- another set of stairs. But a detour is reasonable enough..."
* Berlioz mutters a few enchanted words - it's a safety measure, if anything else. "Detect Magic..."
<Berlioz> OOC - Aimed at the door.
> Berlioz notes no magic on the door.
* Berlioz coughs. "Seems to be nothing magical about this door. Although this might warrant some caution regardless."
* Seira examines the door for any traps.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 8." [1d20=2]
> Seira does not find any traps.
* Seira nods to herself, stepping back. "It's totally clear, feel free to open it, Berlioz."
> The door waits. It's quite a solid door, doesn't look like it's going anywhere.
* Berlioz coughs a bit. "Are you sure about this?", he raises an eyebrow, hesitating to even twist the handle. Then, he sighs and does it anyway.
* Seira is confident there are no traps!
> The door...opens. In a miracle of technology the doornob does it's exact job! Opening it, you find a small, cozy room. Or it would be cozy, if not for a rack on one wall, a spiked standing metal coffin on another, a a few rotted whips hanging on the wall. On the far wall there are strange shadows, a magical aura visible to Berlioz there, even if he can't see what'st here.
* Seira looks past the bard into the room.
* Berlioz blinks, and takes a hold of his bow. "This... is a strange place. One of the walls also holds a magical vibration, we probably should be careful..."
<Seira> "This is a creepy place," Seira declares, shutting the door.
* Berlioz shivers a bit, feeling something crawling in his skin.
<Shamal> "What, I didn't see," Shamal pokes her head forward from the rear, wondering what the excitement's about.
<Seira> "It is supernaturally creepy." Seira frowns. "In fact, this entire place, while mildly entertaining, is distracting us from our paying job."
<Shamal> "Maybe so, but clearly powerful magic was involved in the circle upstairs," Shamal reasons. "There may yet be lore worth discovering here."
<Shamal> "But yes, I do feel an odd creepiness from the door," she concedes.
<Seira> "That chamber has a coffin, strange shadows, magic and a creepy feeling." Seira glares at the closed door. "Let's leave that room at that."
<Berlioz> "That's a quick change of heart, although I agree - this room is unsettling. We can either return... or face more stairs, now", the bard replies with a sigh."
<Shamal> "Going downstairs with a creepy room at our back strikes me as unwise," Shamal reasons. "We should try and find the source of this unsettling sensation and excise it before proceeding."
<Seira> "How?"
<Berlioz> "Getting back to the room would be a start", Berlioz deadpans.
<Shamal> "Well by looking, obviously," Shamal echoes Berlioz's sentiments.
<Seira> "Go for it, the door still has no traps on it."
* Shamal shakes her head at her colleague's recalcitrance and opens the door herself, stepping inside.
* Berlioz steps inside just behind Shamal.
* Seira stays outside, bow in hand for all the good it might do to her.
<Shamal> "You said you saw magic?" Shamal asks the bard.
<Berlioz> "Yes", he nods. "Seems to be exhuding from the far wall, the one with the eerie shadows. I can't make out what is in there, though."
<Shamal> "Toss the pebble at it and see if that removes the shadows?" Shamal asks. If they were undead they'd probably have attacked by now, but it is eerie...
* Berlioz agrees with a nod. "Here goes a penny", the bard mutters as he tosses the pebble in the direction of the shadows.
> As you do, there is a flash! The pebble's light sputters and gutters out, whilst the darkness flickers! You see something - it's a large painting, of something, but you only get a glancing look. Nonetheless, you feel terror! OOC - Willsaves, all.
<Seira> OOC: I'm outside and not even looking in
> OOC - Okay, you're fine, then.
<Seira> OOC: Glee~
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+4 ohgod
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+4 ohgod and gets 24." [1d20=20]
<Shamal> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+9 and gets 10." [1d20=1]
<Lyselle> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Lyselle rolls 1d20+2 and gets 14." [1d20=12]
* Shamal eeps, promptly turning and darting out the room and slamming the door behind her!
<Seira> "Welcome back," Seira greets her calmly. "Can we go now?"
* Lyselle yekps sharply, almost following Shamal, and only pausing to tear open the door and follow her fellow blonde out, slamming the door behind her, and behind Berlioz.
<Lyselle> *yelps
<Seira> "Oh, are we leaving Berlioz in the creepy room?"
<Shamal> "Don't care, just wanna get away!" Shamal babbles, already stumbling back up the stairs.
* Berlioz squints his eyes as he takes a defensive stance, seemingly noticing something. "Is that... I think I'm seeing something... perhaps a painting?"
<Seira> "Berlioz, we're leaving after all, seems like," Seira calls out, bringing up the rear.
> Berlioz notes the pebble starts working again once it lands. The shadows are still mostly shielding the painting, but Berlioz feels no fear now.
* Berlioz nods. "I guess we need to tend for the blondes and get back to our former job. However, this warrants some checking later on."
<Seira> "I've raised my opinion of you," Seira tells the bard honestly. "Your temperance must be better than I thought."
<Berlioz> "Maybe it was a strike of luck... although I am hardly unflattered by the compliment", the bard replies with a small chuckle. "Regardless, it was a vaguely eerie thing. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but I could recognize a bear. With vividly, blood-like red eyes. It definitely warrants some further investigation down the line", he finishes seriously.
<Seira> "A painting of a bear?" she seeks to clarify.
<Berlioz> "Yes", the bard nods. "A painting of a white bear, guarded by the shadows. It's eerily suspicious."
<Seira> "And magical, to boot? Interesting."
* Berlioz caresses his chin, pondering about this recent turn of events, then turns to Seira. "It could be a cursed object - or a sort of ward against hapless invaders. Makes me frankly curious to what the hell is up with this place."
<Seira> "It would not be out of place to find a warding or cursed object -- perhaps both -- in the same chamber as a coffin," she muses. "Still, if it was only a painting, we could safely proceed further below without worrying over that room."
<Berlioz> "The painting alone caused Shamal and Lyselle, who are usually fairly brave, to run like courtisans flee from penniless old perverts", Berlioz deadpans, then continues. "I'd hardly call that only a painting, myself. It was strange - I could feel something crawling in my flesh when I first got into the room."
* Seira blinks at the analogy. "I see," she drawls out.
* Berlioz sighs heavily. "Regardless, we probably overstayed our welcome in this place. We still haven't caught the Dire Bear the Countess required, anyway."
<Berlioz> OOC - All mentions of the bear regarding the painting should be "beard". Sorry. <_<;

---GM note---

Yeah, this kinda fucks things up. Sorry. Just use your magical retcon glasses!

[Anastasia]

> It takes about ten minutes for the fear to wear off, back in the murky, swampy waters of the dome room.  It's still dark and wet...OOC - Balls in your guy's courts, also elaborate on a light source.
* Shamal looks really embarrassed as she absently pets Flopsy while calming herself down. "Um... I don't really know what came over me..." she mutters, not meeting anyone's eyes.
<Seira> Taking a page from Shamal's book, Seira casts Light on another pebble, tossing it over to Berlioz. "Once more into the breach?" she asks.
<Berlioz> "Magic usually has such an effect", Berlioz deadpans as he grabs the pebble tossed by the elf girl. "And yes, Seira."
* Lyselle just stays quiet, nodding to Siera and drawing her sword, staying combat ready to go forward.
<Seira> "Excellent. Let's go."
> 15 minutes later has the party back at where they were, the dreaded room and it's door closed. Down past it are more stairs, descending into the earth.
<Seira> "Be ready to recast Light if my runs out before we return," Seira tells Berlioz, continuing the descent.
* Berlioz nods blankly, walking down the stairs.
* Shamal follows onwards with a wary glance at the closed door.
> Deeper and deeper down! Another heavy five minutes of walking, until you come to a balcony carved out of the Earth. It's about fifteen feet by fifteen feet, with more stairs going down on the far western side. A few pillars support the ceiling here, a door to the north and another door to the south.
* Shamal leans over the balcony to see how far it drops, if she can even see the bottom.
* Seira does likewise!
* Berlioz follows, coughing a bit.
* Lyselle stays away from far drops.
> It's quite a looooong descent. You can see shadows far below, no sign of the bottom.
* Seira picks up a normal pebble and holds it over the balcony, glancing at the others. "Should we check the depth?"
<Shamal> "I'm curious to see how far it descends," Shamal nods agreeably.
* Seira lets it drop, tracing it with her eyes and counting the seconds.
> It stays in view for a few seconds before it's lost into the darkness. No sound of it hitting, just vanishing into the inky black.
* Seira waits a full minute before picking up a larger rock.
<Berlioz> "This might as well be bottomless. It's impressive."
* Seira tries the rock next!
> This rock falls quicker, so you see it a lesser time. Down into the dark, down and down and down and gone.
* Seira activates her magical sight, taking a look around the balcony and the two doors.
<Shamal> "Yes, very very deep," Shamal nods in wonder at the lack of any echoing report. "I do hope the stairs don't go that far down... shall we check these doors first before proceeding, though?"
> The northern door radiates magic. Very faint magic. OOC - Spellcraft it up if you like.
<Seira> roll 1d20+5 I always like it~
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+5 I always like it~ and gets 16." [1d20=11]
* Seira searches the doors for any entrapments next.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 26." [1d20=20]
> Seira can tell that the magic is evocation. Seira can also just notice that there is some sort of magical trap tied to the door.
<Seira> "That way badness lies," she describes the northern door, before shrugging at the southern one. "This one is safe, as far as I can tell."
<Shamal> "Let's try the untrapped one first - I can work something out to deal with the other afterwards," Shamal suggests, moving to open the Southern door and hoping to make up for her earlier lack of decorum.
<Seira> "Stay back far enough for that evocation-based trap to not go off in your faces," Seira instructs, moving towards the northern door in an attempt to disable the trap, using her magical sight for guidance.
<Seira> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+11 and gets 17." [1d20=6]
* Berlioz crosses his arms and bobs his head blankly to Shamal, staying behind her.
* Lyselle nods, keeping up next to Shamal. THe other blonde's best place for combat was at the back, but she was also the magically inclined one...oh if only they had a rogue of some sort.
> Shamal opens the door! Inside of here looks to be a smallish room. An old table of wood sits here, a few woodworked chairs. They look decently made but ancient. Sitting on the table is an old book.
> Seira attemps to disarm it, but her effort fails!
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 9." [1d100=9]
> A barrage of five magical missles fly out, but they sputter away before any come in contact with Seira. She can see that the last magic around the door simply fades away.
<Seira> "Trap successfully disarmed," she says nonchalantly, opening the door.
<Shamal> "Ah!" Shamal starts at the sound of the magical assault, turning back towards Seira and the other doorway.
* Lyselle heads forward into the room, curiously reading the front of the book.
> OOC - What languages can you read/write, L-chan?
<Lyselle> OOC - Common, Elven, Celestial.
> Inside is a hall. A long hall, wide and with jailcells on either side. Glancing in the first two, you can see small skeletons lying inside.
> Lyselle has no idea what words are written in this book. It's in a script she's never seen before.
<Seira> "Exciting," she drones. "Shamal, I have found a jail complex. What about you?"
<Shamal> "Looks like a small study. What does the book say, Lyselle?" she asks of her fellow blonde.
<Seira> "Berlioz, keep an eye on this corridor, would you?" she asks of the bard, making her way to the study.
<Lyselle> "Not a clue," Lyselle offers, nudging the book over to Shamal.
* Berlioz nods and looks around, waiting in the corridor while the others do their bidding.
* Shamal takes a look at the book to see if she can read it.
> OOC - What languages can you read?
* Seira tries to do the same!
> OOC - What languages can you read as well, Seira!
> Neither of the two can comprehend these strange words at all.
<Seira> "There is a spell that would allow us to read it," Seira says, frowning at the book. "We can try it once back to the city."
<Shamal> "As luck would have it," Shamal grins, reaching into her scroll case, "I came prepared!" Beaming, she reads off her spell and then begins to read.
* Seira nods in approval.
> Once the spell is cast, Shamal can read the pages! It's pretty bland, it's just a logbook for guards. However, you can tell a few things - it refers to the prisoners by race. Some humans, a few elves and dwarves and lots of gnomes. Lots and lots of gnomes, often for treason. The others are generally noted for being generically captured.
<Shamal> "Oh, my!" Shamal gasps. "It's a prison logbook, but... it speaks of gnomes! I thought such creatures were only myth..." She reads as much as she can while the spell lasts, trying to see if any of the dates make sense in her terms.
> The dates are from 4983 to 4998.
> All by year, and by some sort of day/month system that means nothing to you.
<Seira> "How long can you keep the spell going?"
<Shamal> "The dates are some calender I can't recognise - certainly doesn't make sense in ours, since that would make it several millenia in the future..." Shamal murmurs as she scans the pages, before blinking and looking up, "Only a few more minutes."
<Seira> "We can check the section with the jail cells, and cross-reference anything unexplained in the logbook," Seira offers.
<Shamal> "I don't know what you mean by unexplained, it merely seems to be a list of prisoners and their crimes..." she flips to the end of the book to see if any of the last few entries indicate what happened to this facility when it was abandoned.
> There is an upswing in human prisoners, then it ends abruptly, in midpage.
<Seira> "I meant that we could stumble upon something unexplained in the cells," she elaborates, and makes her way for them.
> There are twenty cells in total. The first few have small skeletons but most of the rest have human sized ones. All ancient bones, lying on the ground and forgotten. A few reach out past the bars, lying face down as a single hand stretched for freedom.
* Seira checks for any magical signatures.
> No magic that Seira sees.
<Shamal> "Most of the prisoners seem to be gnomes, but then humans start to dominate the list..." Shamal murmurs, before the spell ends and she stows the book away, following Seira to the cells. "Perhaps this is connected to the ruins that have gotten everyone so excited near Balmuria?" she suggests.
<Seira> "It's possible," Seira decides, looking around for any clues or anything out of the ordinary for a dungeon.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 15." [1d20=9]
> You notice that none of the cells have locks. They look easy to open now.
* Seira points that out to the others, before checking one of the doors for traps.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 11." [1d20=5]
> Seira finds no traps as far as she can tell.
* Lyselle just frowns at the whole sight. Were they executed? Starved and then abandoned? Or...? Why would anyone stay to remove the locks after starving them...?
<Shamal> "Perhaps the cells were magically sealed?" Shamal postulates. "From what we've seen, this place does appear to have been built by someone with a fair mastery of the arcane."
<Seira> "It's possible, for I find no other mechanism keeping the cells closed," Seira agrees.
<Seira> "In any case, we should really be on our way," she says to the others. "Our paying job awaits, and nothing much remains here for us to find."
> OOC - Hearing check, Berlioz.
* Lyselle takes her sword, trying to nudge one of the cell doors open.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+1 hearing
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+1 hearing and gets 17." [1d20=16]
<Shamal> "There are stairs that lead further down, though," Shamal points out, gesturing to the steps on the Western side of the balcony.
<Seira> "True," she allows, "but I cannot imagine much of value being in what appears to be an abandoned prison complex."
> Berlioz can hear a steady, heavy stomping coming from the stairs leading further down, echoing up.
> The cell door opens easily.
* Berlioz squints his eyes and gets up, startled from the noises. The bard looks around and rushes towards the direction his companions went in, in order to warn them.
> AS Berlioz runs, the stomping sound gets louder, closer.
> As the party investigates the cells and returns, they note Berlioz rushing towards them.
* Berlioz wipes his forehead, breathing heavily and stops as he sees the rest of the party. "There's someone coming!"
<Seira> "Which way?"
* Shamal wishes Rin was here as she steps out onto the balcony proper, getting ready to defend herself if necessary.
<Berlioz> "I heard the steps coming from the stairs we descended, heavy, continuous. And it's just getting louder."
> As Shamal comes out, she can hear the stomping. It's quite close and loud now, extremely heavy. Echoing, thrown up wildly.
<Shamal> "Whatever it is, it's big," Shamal observes, glancing towards the balcony edge and starting to formulate a plan.
* Lyselle follows out, putting herself between the rest of the group and the staircase, sword and shield readied.
<Seira> "Throw the pebble in that direction to illuminate it," Seira asks of Berlioz, her own weapon readied.
* Berlioz throws the pebble in the direction of the stairs.
* Seira is looking in the direction of the echoing sounds, a scroll of Grease nearby should she need it.
> The stairs are quite well lit now! With good timing, as you can all hear it come up! THUMP THUMP THUMP, each step distinct! It's coming up the stairs, and it's close! It's head - a conical hat, tall and pointed. A cleanshaven face, a body eight feet tall. Massive and made of not flesh and bone, but of solid granite! It's body is carved to look lik eit's wearing a tunic and pants, it's eyes shards of purple gemstone. It's head turns slowly, an audible grinding as it swivels.
> It's head turns slowly, an audible grinding as it swivels.
<Shamal> "Golem!" Shamal breathes in shock, backing up a step. "Unless it has orders to attack intruders, it might ignore us," she cautions, watching it intently and readying a spell.
* Lyselle nods, lowering her sword for the moment and backing up, though still between the monstrosity and the rest of the group, watching it...
<Seira> "We'll miss our best chance to take it down if we don't attack it before it reaches the platform," Seira cautions, the scroll of Grease in hand.
<Shamal> "If it gets to the platform I can summon some creatures that can try and push it into the bottomless pit," Shamal whispers back.
> It's eyes turn to each of the party members, it's steps starting to lead it towards you! The entire floor shakes when it moves, quivering like a scared child! "Humans..." It's lips move to speak, voice like grinded stones rustling against each other.
* Seira decides to retreat a few steps up the stairs.
<Shamal> Talking is good! "Yes, humans," Shamal nods hesitantly, trying to engage the automaton in conversation. "We mean no harm," she adds hopefully.
> "Have you come for the First Resort?" he asks, "It has not been here for longer than your race remembers."
<Shamal> "Ah..." Shamal remembers the story of how Khardon had to kill a golem to get the Third Resort. "No, of course we haven't!" she insists quickly.
* Berlioz blinks. First Resort? The bard rubs his temples, but remains quiet in order to avoid putting the party in more trouble than it's worth.
> The golem steps back, "Do as you wish, humans. The Master is long since left from this place."
<Seira> "This place has been used for storing that First Resort originally?" Seira asks the golem. "What is it?"
> The golem looks at Seira, purple gemeyes strangely alluring. Almost lulling... ... "It is not my purpose to discuss that."
<Seira> "Who is the Master you mentioned? Can you discuss that, perhaps?" she tries.
> "Lord High God-King Daa-vid, his might entrusted to General 4th Class Gnarlgart in Prison Fortress #19."
* Lyselle relaxes slightly at the seeming aversion from sudden combat. Well, this is at least interesting to listen to...
<Seira> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+5 and gets 15." [1d20=10]
<Shamal> "So there are more of these fortresses?" Shamal asks, pondering... "What happened to the people here?"
> Seira doesn't recall anything offhand besides that Daa-vid is the name of the legendary king of the gnomes...but such troublebringing creatures are just bard's tales, right?
> ""It is not my purpose to discuss that."
<Seira> Evidently not, if the logbook is correct! "How many such Resorts exist?"
> "It is not my purpose to discuss that."
<Shamal> "What *is* your purpose, then?"
<Seira> "And how long have you been here, in years?"
> "My purpose is to defend the First Resort, defend the vassal of the God King and to ensure His will is done."
<Shamal> "If you are to defend the First Resort then why is it no longer here, then?" Shamal probes.
> "It is not my purpose to discuss that. Years are a mortal invention."
> "It is not my purpose to discuss that."
<Seira> "What is His will? We do not wish to cross your God King."
> "To gather the 5 resorts and the Final Resort, to take his rightful place in Creation."
<Lyselle> "What happened to the vassal of the God King?" Lyselle asks, wondering if that could get it to talk about the general's end..
> "He lies in his office."
<Seira> "Where is his office? Could we talk to him?"
> "Below. Only the God King may talk to him now."
<Lyselle> "You will not impede us if we wish to visit none the less?" Lyselle probes, raising an eyebrow.
> "It is not my purpose to do so The vassal needs no protection now."
<Seira> "Then we wish to head below," Seira informs the golem. "Is there anything we may not do as we go there, anything you would be forced to stop us from doing?"
> There is a pause before this, it's head turning, scraping against stone loudly. "No."
* Seira nods at him, and proceeds below at a steady pace, stopping to pick up their glowing pebble.
* Shamal nods a bit hesitantly to the golem before heading after Seira, before... "Wait," she stops. "Is there anyone else still in this fortress?"
> "No. The vassal died when the Wrath of the False Ones came down."
<Shamal> "It's probably not your purpose," Shamal sighs, "But who were the False Ones?"
> "It is not my purpose to discuss that."
* Shamal nods, not bothering to reply as she resumes following Seira downstairs.
<Seira> "What if we wished to help you achieve your purpose and ensure your God King's will was executed?" Seira asks the golem.
* Lyselle follows after the mages.
* Berlioz scratches his head and follows after Lyselle.
> "It is not my purpose to discuss that."
* Seira proceeds below without a retort this time.
> Down you go! Another few minutes until you reach another pedestool, this one with two more doors and past that, stairs going down again. This time when you approach, there is a sputter before the walls begin to glow faintly, providing illumination.
<Seira> "We'll search this floor first?" Seira offers, doing just that.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 24." [1d20=18]
> The floor seems to have no traps. Not surprising, considering it's just stone.
* Seira also searches the aforementioned doors.
> The doors do not seem to be trapped.
<Shamal> "Might as well do things in order," Shamal agrees, letting Seira do her thing first of all and looking over the glowing walls. "This was certainly built by a magically advanced society... One that spread far, if the city in the frozen North where Colonel Khardon found the Third Resort is connected."
* Seira decides to open the doors in no particular order.
* Lyselle nods, frowning. "And if their calendar nerly reached a fifth millenium...they certainly had time..."
> The northern door is first. Inside, you find what looks to be a kitchen and then storage. An old stone stove is here, caldrons, and so forth. There's a few remnants of rotten boxes all the way back.
* Seira decides to check the other door.
* Berlioz whispers softly. "This is quite a relic. Hard to believe such a historical treasure lies so closely to Balmuria, yet seemed to attract little to no attention..."
> The other door is a barracks. Beds, several dozen of them. Past them is another door. There's a few foot lockers of stone and metal by a few of the beds, looking intact.
<Seira> Time for another search!
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 8." [1d20=2]
<Shamal> "It's the same with the other ruins that were recently discovered, I suppose," Shamal reasons. "Certainly, the archaeologists in town will be very interested to hear what we've found, here."
* Lyselle goes through the footlockers one by one, methodically checking.
> Seira does not find any traps that she's aware of.
* Seira goes through the lockers.
> Seira finds, in no particular order:
> 14 copper coins, with unintelligable writing on them. There is a figure of a fearsome, bearded humanoid on it, wearing a conical cap.
> A rotted leather bag with shattered glass mixed in.
> A pair of dice made of a strangely light stone.
> A sheathed dagger.
* Seira takes anything not rotten with her, and proceeds to the new door.
<Shamal> "Find anything interesting?" Shamal asks, moving to the next door along with the half-elf.
> It's a sturdy door. It opens without incident, too! Inside looks to be a weapons and armor storage room, but most of it looks exposed and rusted to first glance. Racks of old spears, swords, armor, bows, ectera.
<Seira> "Nothing we can pursue here, but it could prove useful back in Balmuria," Seira responds, before asking, "Can anyone check these weapons for magical signatures?"
* Berlioz nods. "I guess I could."
<Shamal> "Alas I used my spell to detect magic earlier," Shamal shakes her head.
<Seira> "Same here"
* Berlioz casts Detect Magic, covering for his allies.
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 24." [1d100=24]
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 90." [1d100=90]
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 85." [1d100=85]
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 32." [1d100=32]
> roll 1d8
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8 and gets 6." [1d8=6]
> There is one magical aura, mostly obscured in the armor pile, an old suit of chainmail covering almost all of whatever it is.
* Seira points at the plate armor among the pile. "These would sell well, even in their condition, and we do have horses with us."
* Berlioz nods. "I guess there's no harm in picking these up."
* Lyselle nods, moving in to haul out anything that looks useful, and whatever's pointed out as magical.
> It looks like there's enough plate for at least one full set, albiet that the size is rather small for most humans.
<Shamal> "Let's sort them here and we can pick them up on our way back up - they're not going anywhere, and we've got still more to explore further down," Shamal suggests.
* Seira takes a moment to examine the bearded face on the coins, showing it to the others.
<Shamal> "Hat looks like what the golem had," Shamal observes, otherwise having nothing.
* Berlioz picks the coin and examines it. "Hmmm..."
> The coin looks like the painting of fear Berlioz got a sane look at.
* Berlioz raises his eyebrows. "Wait. This resembles... the painting on the wall."
* Shamal shudders at the recollection.
* Seira nods, and heads below.
* Berlioz ponders as he heads down. "This might be the Golem's master, maybe? Wouldn't really suprise me..."
<Seira> "Or the vassal."
<Shamal> "Possibly," Shamal agrees, a bit subdued by the memory of her reaction to the painting as they head further down.
> Down another few minutes of stairs. Her at last you come to a dead end - the bottom! A small chisel into the earth, a little clearing with a door carved in. It's a door with a fearsome image on, one that still makes Lyselle and Shamal freeze. A gnome with burning red eyes, red capped and with a look of perfect, ungiving fury on his face. His royal blue tunic and cape swirl, the image all too lifelike.
* Shamal shivers, at least resisting the urge to flee in blind panic. "Yes, that's definitely our friend from the painting upstairs."
<Seira> "Berlioz?" Seira asks, waiting on him to check for magic once more.
* Berlioz tries to detect any magic aura that the door might have.
* Lyselle nods, her knuckles white in their grip on her weapons, though they can't be seen beneath her gloves.
> There isn't any aura directly on the door, but you can note that you can see a few glimpses of magic from the crack in the door.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 18." [1d20=12]
> Seira does not find any traps on the door.
<Seira> "Shall we?" she asks, opening the door.
<Berlioz> "Hmmm. The door itself is not magical. However, there seems to be something exhuding from behind it."
<Berlioz> "Might as well, anyhow."
> Inside is a grand hall! A grand dancing hall, ornate and carved of glowing white and black stone. An epic clash of colors, floor a checkerboard pattern. Quartz veins line the ceiling, glowing bright in a rainbow of color. Berlioz can see the entire area radiates stable, moderate magic.
> Far inside, there are more doors to go deeper in.
<Seira> "Where is the magic?" she asks him. "And what is it?"
<Berlioz> "The magic permeates this entire room, actually. For what it is... I'll have to try and decipher", the bard replies, concentrating to recognize the magic's nature. OOC - Spellcraft check.
> OOC - Go for it.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+8 and gets 10." [1d20=2]
> Berlioz scratches his nose and doesn't make much progress on that aura identification gig.
* Seira tosses a convenient pebble far into the room, aiming for its center.
> The pebble is thrown, landing on the floor. You hear it clatter a bit.
* Seira bravely proceeds inside, bow in hand!
* Shamal follows after Seira, again wishing Rin was here, and looking to see how many other doors there are.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6 door traps~
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 door traps~ and gets 20." [1d20=14]
> There are two more, both in the back. It's quite a nice room, really, well lit. The doors have no traps that Seira notes.
<Seira> "It seems clear," she informs Shamal, and opens one of the doors.
> They both seem to lead into the same room! It's a large study with a desk straight ahead! Behind it and on the walls are mostly empty bookshelves and dressers, but straight ahead is a painting! The same painting Berlioz saw before, the wrathful gaze of the gnome looking down! Yet you feel no compulsed fear this time. (More)
> On the right wall, there is an indent. A huge scortch mark, and ont he floor in front it lies the remnant sof a skeleton. What little remains looks like it was smashed savagely. Above it floats a small white ball, perhaps a foot wide.
* Seira calls back for Berlioz.
* Berlioz gets in, and blinks as he gazes the entire room, a sense of awe taking charge. He shakes his head for a moment and tries to recognize magic within, still a bit taken aback.
<Shamal> "Wrath coming down, indeed..." Shamal murmurs as she eyes the corpse, before directing her attention to the floating sphere.
* Seira commits the painting to memory, the drawing of a far better resolution than the one on the back of the coins.
> It's the same as the last room, but that ball is considerably more powerful, making Berlioz's head hurt. It's also like nothing he's seen normally, it's very essence making him feel scared.
> The orb serenly floats above the shattered skeleton.
* Berlioz grimaces a bit and rubs his forehead, quivering a bit. "I... don't think I feel very well."
> It's about a foot wide and solid, not rippling or moving. Just sitting there, as if it had nothing better to do.
* Seira decides to check another door before dealing with the strange orb.
> The other door also leads into this room.
<Shamal> "Are you alright, Berlioz?" Shamal asks worriedly, drawing close to the bard.
* Lyselle checks through the offie for anything valuable or interesting, pointedly avoiding the orb.
<Lyselle> *office
* Seira shrugs, and moves to assist Lyselle.
* Seira focuses on the books.
> There's three books and a few scrolls on he shelves that can be seen right away.  There's also a small chest tucked besides the back of the desk, and sevearl drawers on the wall to be opened if one wishes.
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 41." [1d100=41]
* Berlioz clears his throat a bit. "I'm not ill. It's just this orb. I haven't sensed anything quite like this before."
<Seira> roll 1d20+6 desk traps~
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 desk traps~ and gets 11." [1d20=5]
<Seira> roll 1d20+6 wall drawers traps~
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 wall drawers traps~ and gets 12." [1d20=6]
> Seira doesn't find any traps.
* Seira decides to examine the drawers first, opening them one by one.
> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 and gets 19." [1d20=14]
> OOC - What's your AC, Seira?
<Seira> OOC: Below that
<Shamal> "There is something sinister about this whole place," Shamal admits, again eyeing the portrait. "Not exactly the mischevious pranksters painted by legend, are they?"
> roll 1d4+1
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+1 and gets 2." [1d4=1]
> OOC - Fort save.
<Seira> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+5 and gets 14." [1d20=9]
<Berlioz> "Well, that one seems far more intimidating than your typical midget prankster type, yes. I wouldn't be surprised if he was a rather prominent figure in their ranks, myself..."
> From the first chest, a dagger flies out! It's wicked looking, plunging into Seira's hand! It's a dark, deep metalliac color, coated with a barely there white powder. As it flies, a loud blaring sounds!
<Seira> "Just great," she mutters, binding the wound.
<Shamal> "Ah!" Shamal starts at the blaring, "What's that?"
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 11." [1d100=11]
* Lyselle starts at the whole instance, about to open the chest by the desk. "What in the..." she murmurs, sighing. "These things really are trapped?"
<Seira> roll 1d20+5 spellcraft
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+5 spellcraft and gets 14." [1d20=9]
> The sound is coming from all around you, quite loud.
> The orb ripples a bit.
> Seira can't tell what spell it could be.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+12 spellcraft if there's anything I can see that indicates a spell being cast
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+12 spellcraft if there's anything I can see that indicates a spell being cast and gets 26." [1d20=14]
<Seira> "Berlioz," Seira says very slowly. "Do these drawers or that chest over by the desk carry the aura of magic?"
> Shamal thinks the spell in question is Alarm, or a close variant thereof.
* Berlioz looks around, trying to recognize a specific aura. "I know that this entire room is covered by magic - and the orb's magic seems to be the most powerful. It's... unique. However, I can't specify much more than that..."
<Shamal> "Well, you appear to have triggered some variant of the alarm spell," Shamal winces a bit, "The bell noise is far preferable to this version, however. Regardless, I doubt there's anyone left to care about the intrusion."
> OOC - Mmm. Lemme give you a spellcraft check here, Berli.
<Seira> "The golem did allow us to do whatever we wished," Seira muses, once more looking for traps.
<Seira> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+6 and gets 12." [1d20=6]
> Seira still finds no particular traps.
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 12." [1d100=12]
> The orb ripples again, like water stirring after a pebble's thrown into it.
* Seira gets back to a safer distance and urges others to do the same, before using Mage Hand to try and open the chest by the desk.
* Shamal readily backs out of the room at Seira's urging.
* Berlioz backs out as Seira commands.
* Lyselle follows the instruction.
> The chest opens! The moment it does, a great radiating zone and cone of cold gushes out! The entire area in front of the ches tto the wall is a giant ice block now, and mere seconds later that and a small circle radius explodes in hissing acid! Acid that lands on the floors and desk, but none comes withinr ange of the party!
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 61." [1d100=61]
<Shamal> "Yes, keeping back was a good idea," Shamal nods quickly at the display of elemental fury.
<Seira> "I'm not certain I could disable such a trap with my skills, anyway," Seira mutters with a frown. "We should likely take what we can and leave before tempting fate once more."
> The alarm picks up noise, now nearly defeaning as it blares!
* Berlioz blinks. "I doubt it is over, regardless... damn!", the bard winces as the Alarm picks up.
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 51." [1d100=51]
* Seira looks in the opened drawer, leaving the chest to the others.
> Inside the open drawer looks to be ancient bottles of ink and old quills. Nothing of note, beyond a single rolled scroll amid some parchment papers.
<Shamal> "Maybe we can come back when the noise dies down?" Shamal suggests hopefully, covering her ears. "This racket is horrible."
<Berlioz> "I agree. We probably should head off for a moment."
* Lyselle nods, wincing. "Just pick up the armor and leave," she agrees.
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 3." [1d100=3]
> The orb begins to ripple rapidly, rising up.
* Berlioz raises an eyebrow. "Maybe we should just leave this room. The orb doesn't seem terribly thrilled with our presence."
* Seira takes the scroll and parchment, heading outside.
> OOC - Where is everyone going? How far up and out?
* Shamal heads back to the stairs, intending to wait a bit until the noise dies down from the alarm.
* Berlioz stays just outside the room himself.
* Lyselle sticks to the other blonde.
<Seira> "Berlioz, let's leave this place," Seira tells their bard, heading up the stairs.
<Shamal> "Why so hurried?" Shamal asks, also wondering at the lack of reference to her and Lyselle... are those two having an affair or something?
<Seira> There is no reference because the others are already up the stairs while Berlioz awaits just outside the door~
<Berlioz> "Eh. Fine, I'll go", the bard replies blandly as he slumps towards the other members.
> So the party heads back to the base of the stairs. The alarm can be heard even from here, if at least muffled.
* Shamal settles down to wait a bit, hoping the alarm will shut up after a few minutes.
> OOC - Did you close the gnome image door into the main area or leave it open?
<Shamal> OOC: would've left it open, no reason to close it
<Seira> "I see no reason to wait," Seira tells the others. "The orb was obviously on the move. Even if the sound goes down, if it is the guardian of that chamber, it is obviously awake to a degree. We should leave this place at once."
<Seira> "If you have a spell of summoning," she then tells Shamal, "it would be nice to use it and have the summoned creature get whatever was in that chest and bring it to us as we retreat."
<Shamal> "I always have a spell of summoning," Shamal returns, sounding a bit put out. "It's just some orb of magic, not sentient," she adds, walking back up to the door and sacrificing her entangle spell as she casts a spell to summon a monkey, which she promptly orders to grab the orb. Shamal herself observes from a safe distance outside the actual room itself.
* Seira blinks.
> So summoned, a monkey comes forth! IT nods to SHamal and  hurries along, back into the black and white checkboard floored room, and then into the office...!
* Shamal stands outside the office, looking through the door to see what happens. It's just a summoned monkey, so no real harm done if something bad happens to it.
> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+12 and gets 22." [1d20=10]
> roll 2d4+5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d4+5 and gets 10." [2d4=3, 2]
> So it runs - and you hear a loud yelp! A gurgling yelp that quickly trails away, a voice overwhelming it! "The living infidels against the Gods shall be shattered! Woe unto those that seek to challenge the heavens! The time of your judgment has come, mortal creature!" This voice booms, like a thunderclap.
* Seira winces at the booming voice.
* Shamal winces. "Poor monkey..." she mutters, looking through the doorway to see the results.
* Berlioz raises an eyebrow and winces. "Hammering down the wrath of the gods into a mindless simian feels slightly extreme."
<Lyselle> "Odd..." Lyselle agrees, frowning. "So that's if we touch it..."
> There's a monkey lying on the floor - well, some of it. A heap of shattered bones and flesh, lying there in a pool of blood. Hovering over it is a being of white light, eyes of ruby red.  It's in the vague shape of a human, face indescribaly bright.
<Shamal> Seeing a more humanoid shape, Shamal hopes to try and reason with it. "Er... we mean no harm, and we're certainly not infidels," she tries to convince it, averting her eyes slightly at the sheer brightness of the thing.
> Hearing the voice, the being turns towards the party, starting to float out of the office and into the ballroom. "Mortals..." it breathes, it's voice overpowering the alarms. "The time of judgment is at hand! The heresy of mortalkind end!"
<Seira> "Can we bravely flee now?" Seira asks flatly.
* Berlioz laughs awkwardly, shaking his head. "I... don't think that running will have great odds of saving us here... but better than nothing, I guess?"
<Seira> "Right. New plan. Face it in honorable combat as the rest of us flee, Berlioz."
<Lyselle> "We're not heretics though..." Lyselle frowns, eyeing the thing.
<Seira> "We appear to be heretics by virtue of being mortal."
<Shamal> "Oh, hells..." Shamal mutters, starting to back off towards the party. "Um... not without a little something to slow it down, I think. Cleansing guardian of flame, I call upon you - burn this creature with the fires of the inferno!" she chants, as a vaguely humanoid figure composed of dense flames appears before the figure of light!
<Berlioz> "... okay, now we run", the bard lets out as he prepares to sprint away.
<Lyselle> "Are you reffering only to those mortals that are heretics, or all mortals?" Lyselle continues her questioning, wondering what in the hells...
> "Only those with the blessing of a God shall be spared," the creature looks on at the fire elemental and then the party, starting to chant! OOC - React and then we should go into initiative soon if this goes on.
* Seira flees up the stairs at the sounds of chanting~
<Shamal> "Helm has blessed me, and this fire elemental summoned my call at the behest of Mielikki?" Shamal tries hopefully before things degenerate into violence.
<Lyselle> "That's right! We're all blessed by Helm!" Lyselle points out, really not liking the idea of fleeing AGAIN in the face of the enemy...
> "Such a claim..." The being hisses, "Come them into the fire of the Gods and prove such, or perish in the flames of judgment!"
> Meanwhile, Seira makes excellent speed up the stairs, putting herself well out of danger.
* Berlioz follows after Seira, maybe not quite as swiftly.
* Lyselle glances at her fellow blonde, swallowing nervously. "Um...how confident are you feeling?" she asks slowly, eyeing the glowing monstrosity.
<Shamal> "You'll forgive me for not quite trusting you after what you did to the poor servant of Mielikki I sent in there a moment ago," Shamal returns, before essaying a hopeful smile at Lyselle, "Don't worry, I have many more allies at my call."
> Berlioz also flees up, out of harm's hopeful way. "Submit or perish!" It's own voice raises, "The judgment has been passed, there shall be no hesitation!"
<Lyselle> "No...I somehow don't think we'll be taking this thing in combat," Lyselle offers, stepping forward with sword and shield drawn, but not raised. "Test me," she tells the creatures, beginning to quietly and more earnestly than ever before praying to Helm.
* Shamal ponders a moment. These gnomes seemed to be pretty nasty sorts, from what she's seen so far - therefore whatever struck them down can't be all that bad. Taking in a deep shuddering breath, Shamal waves her hand, dismissing the fire elemental back to the plane of fire. "My faith is strong," she replies resolutely, stepping forward. "I have nothing to fear from any test you care to make."
<Shamal> Inwardly she prays, mostly to the Forest Queen, but she keeps the Watcher in her thoughts as well.
> As you come forward, the body of the creature breaks apart. A great wave of fire washed over the two of you! For a horrifying moment the flames burn, char, roast you alive! But that moment passes, no pain at all. Just white light around you, rather pleasant. "The Great God Helm has taken notice of you, and found both of you worthy. Your hearts are true as well." You feel your bodies cool, the flames fading. "You have been judged passing. The vengance of the Gods shall not touch you. Those that worship the False One will be swept away forever, live well after."
> "You have been judged passing. The vengance of the Gods shall not touch you. Those that worship the False One will be swept away forever, live well after."
* Shamal draws in a deep shuddering breath at just how close she came to death. For a moment she almost thought... but no, she's fine. "Who are the false ones?" she asks, hoping to get more useful information here. "So we may recognise and avoid them in future."
<Lyselle> "That was more intimidating than I like it to be..." Lyselle notes quietly, slumping as the flames pass. That...well, near death is never fun, but to see it coming and feel it like that...
> "The heretic Daa-vid, the one who gathers the 5 Resorts and the forbidden last..." The flames drift away, upward now, through the stone.
<Shamal> "It seems there is far more to the gnomes than children's stories would indicate..." Shamal mutters to Lyselle as the being vanishes. "Oh, well. Shall we see what was in that chest before catching up with Seira and Berlioz?"
* Lyselle nods to Shamal, smiling faintly in relief. "May as well," she agrees, heading back into the room to look in the chest.
> The room is quiet now, the alarm silent. Inside the chest, you find:
> A burlap sack, unaged and heavy. A slender book. A pendant with pice of green amber in the center.  A strange signet ring, of a conical cap.
> *piece
<Shamal> "I can summon another monkey to open all the drawers in case their are more traps. Let's stand back a bit," Shamal suggests to Lyselle once they've looted the chest.
* Lyselle hums, prodding the burlap sack. Coins? Something else?
* Lyselle nods, taking the loot and stepping back out of room.
> It's lumpy. It's poked but you feel hard things inside.
* Lyselle hopes they're gems, and just retreats for now.
* Shamal summons another monkey, (sacrificing her produce flame spell) ordering it to quickly open all the currently closed drawers in turn without bothering to look inside. It doesn't stick around that long.
> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 and gets 6." [1d20=1]
> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 and gets 13." [1d20=8]
> Two more drawers, two daggers flying out. Both miss, however, the drawers opened.
* Shamal dismisses the monkey and goes to liberate the drawers of their contents.
> The first is a mess of papers in a language SHamal can't understand, but there are a few wrapped, sealed scrolls inside. 3 in total. The second looks to hold glass vials. While most are empty, four of them hold a blue-green liquid inside.
* Shamal gathers up all the items for later translating and sorting, before smiling at Lyselle, "Well, shall we try and catch up with our friends, assuming they aren't halfway to Balmuria by now?"
* Seira intends to stop fleeing at the platform with the guard rooms and the armor.
* Lyselle nods, lugging the load from the chest and offering an easy smile back. "Sure, this looks like it turned out well at least..."
> The party meets back up on the guard room platform. Lyselle and Shamal lug back what they're vaken, a nice little hold of loot.
<Shamal> "Well, that was an epic battle, but as usual justice prevailed," Shamal smiles impishly as they reunite with Berlioz and Seira. "Shame you both missed it."
* Seira is happy to see them alive and unharmed. "A real shame," she says absently, and gathers up the armor and any exotic, expensive weapons she spots.
> OOC - Okay, Seira, what part sof the armor? There's most old, worthless leather and rusted chain, as well as about a suit's worth of plate. Also, spot check.
<Seira> OOC: Plate + magical armor
<Seira> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+3 and gets 9." [1d20=6]
<Seira> roll 1d20+3 reroll?!
* Hatbot --> "Seira rolls 1d20+3 reroll?! and gets 6." [1d20=3]
> On searching, you find what Berlioz identified was indeed hidden mostly under that suit of chainmail that covered it. It's a small wooden buckler.
* Seira sorts the suits or armor and weapons so that they are no longer hiding one another, spreading them across the floor for easier identification and examination.
> This akes some time, but Seira notes that that's it for interesting armor. For weapons? It's mostly old, rusted items of metal or ancient wood. None of them look terribly useful.
<Seira> "Berlioz?" she asks, sweeping her hand across the weapons and the items they brought from the chamber below. "Work your magic."
* Lyselle hums, beginning to pull up rotted mattresses or the like. If she knows soldiers, they would've hidden something in their bunks away from their friends.
* Berlioz sighs and mutters his chant for Detect Magic once again, grumbling.
* Shamal decides to take a sniff of the potion she found to see if she can identify it.
<Shamal> roll 1d20+9 alchemy
* Hatbot --> "Shamal rolls 1d20+9 alchemy and gets 27." [1d20=18]
> The mattresses are very old indeed. Lyselle finds a single silver coin under one, another image of that fearsome gnomic king on it.
> Berlioz finds that the buckler, the scrolls and the four vials are all magical.
* Lyselle hmphs, shrugging at her find. "Not much in here..."
* Berlioz blinks. "Hey. All this junk seems to have actual magical properties. It may be worth a look, Seira."
<Seira> "Which magical properties?" she asks him in a patient tone.
* Berlioz tries to recognize the magic within each piece.
> OOC - Make your spellcrafts.
<Berlioz> roll 1d20+8 for shield spellcraft
<Shamal> "These potions remove fear," Shamal looks a bit embarrassed, recalling her earlier faux pas. "Let me check these scrolls as well..." she unravels them to see if any magical formulae is apparent past the language barrier.
* Hatbot --> "Berlioz rolls 1d20+8 for shield spellcraft and gets 15." [1d20=7]
> Berlioz can't quite figure out the shield's aura.
* Berlioz shakes head. "I can't quite put my finger on it. I'd have to examine if for a longer time to unravel this."
> Shamal can't puzzle otu the scrolls as is, but they dimly look magical.
* Shamal wraps up the scrolls and puts them away. "I think we're done here, now - I can translate things tomorrow. Everyone ready to move on?"
* Berlioz nods. "I guess so. Weren't we going to hunt a Dire Bear, anyway?"
<Lyselle> "Sure," Lyselle nods to Shamal, having nothing more to pursue here.