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Post by AxeMental on Jul 15, 2008 10:14:08 GMT -5
The scouts go first with the main group well back. They find the steep stair case begin to go in a spiral downward....care is taken as they walk as the floor and walls are very old and cracked as if by small tremors over the passing centuries. The ceiling is 12' high and vaulted, and the width of the staircase is 15' wide so that 2 can easily walk abreast. The walls are here and there carved in primitive looking designs, some of snakes eating people, others of floating ameba like creatures with tentacles outstretched. Also now and then on the ceiling is the symbol you found on the necklace and thrown, that of the 4 headed snake.
The stairs go down 300 feet before a light (flashing for but a moment) is seen up ahead. The air has gotten damp and smells of sulfur. As the 2 silent scouts go to investigate the light they see a figure jump away down the stairs, and seconds later a "plop" as if something jumping into water. They continue another 30 feet down the stairway and find the stairway ends in water 1 foot deep. A short 30 foot hallway leads to a vast room (the ceiling is 50 feet high, and dim light seems to be coming from that direction (perhaps a crack to the surface), the length and width can't yet be determined. Water remains 3 feet throughout. And clumps of growth float about in the swampy soup, surrounded by subterranean fish and small crustaceans that pick at it. Does the group wish to shine a bulls eye lantern to see more (so far only the scouts are at the front). Also, what weapons are drawn?
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Post by cadellin on Jul 15, 2008 11:56:12 GMT -5
"Let's not light this place up just yet. I think we should probe about in this water with a spear and see if we can see what we're up against."
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Post by Ska on Jul 15, 2008 12:48:43 GMT -5
The monk will use his cloak to make himself harder to see and will also attempt to hide in shadows.
If something attacks the group, he wants to be able to surprise it.
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Post by AxeMental on Jul 15, 2008 15:49:00 GMT -5
Probing about the water reveals a stone floor covered in about a foot of spungy muck. The water is sulfurous (probably its source is that of a sulfur spring). The clumps are whitish growths, according to the knowledgable wizard, they are a type of harmless bacteria that thrives in sulfur water. As the group moves forward exploring they see bubbles rise with each step, trapped gas no doubt. Besides a stink it causes no harm.
The group also disturbs the occassional preditory fish causing a sudden splash of water and a quick reaction by the jumpier members of the group.
As the group pushes on, (I'll assume the scouts ahead of the group spread out a bit with the fighters protecting the spell casters) they see large columns rising to the vaulted ceiling. The columns have large cracks running threw them, but still manage to hold the ceiling above. The fluted columns seem to be carved from local stone. At their bases are carved serpents and at the capitals teeth jutting from wide drawn out mouths with extended tounges, long squinted eyes above flate wide nostrils. These later look more like toadish demons.
As the group slowly moves about the room they find odd bits of the past. Broken shards and rusted clumps of metal. Searching below the water the group does find a gold wide bowl (the sort used in ceremonies) worth 200 GPs. This is stashed in a bag of holding.
Eventually the group passes 3 sets of columns as they head into the interior of the room. Without the bulls eye they can still see an island at the center of the room 30 feet long and 20 feet wide. It rises from the shallow water (now about 21/2 feet deep) 3 feet and appears to be made of piled dark earth surrounded by stones (as if someone built this island). Covering this entire mucky island are 100s of mushrooms of all sizes, from a few inches tall to dozens of giant mushrooms reaching 8 to 12 feet in height with stems 3 to 4 feet wide supporting caps 5 to 8 feet wide with large gills; together they form a mini-multicolored forest it seems (varying in color from deep purple to scarlet with with white pocadots). A dim pulsating greenish light shines from within the center of this fungusy forest, projecting earie and grotesque shadows about this portions of the room. How do you wish to investigate, or do you simply ignore the island and continue on?
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Post by cadellin on Jul 16, 2008 2:38:37 GMT -5
"Giant mushrooms! If anyone wants to investigate that island, they should be careful not to inhale any spores until we know exactly what they do."
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Post by AxeMental on Jul 16, 2008 16:38:09 GMT -5
Any takers?
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Post by trp2fan on Jul 17, 2008 8:33:20 GMT -5
Let's bypass the island for now, at least until we know more about this place. Maybe someone with a keen eye could take a closer look at one of the columns.
Cal's ready weapon is the black sword and his shield is also ready.
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Post by AxeMental on Jul 17, 2008 13:08:28 GMT -5
The group avoids the island for now and sloshes around the room finding it to be 100 x 100 in size with grand columns. This must have been some great meeting hall at one time (probably painted and finely decorated). The columns are investigated by Tiberious and Subdolus, but nothing of interest is found on them (they even climb to the tops of some and find nothing. In the NE corner of the room you find the source of the sulphur water. A large hole below the water line...a sulphur spring (so small that only Subdolus could squeeze in). It has a current coming out of it that is not very great. The hole thick with the same whitish bacteria, seems to be natural enough, the result of some past shift of the earth you think.
As the group moves to the east they find a raised area agains the center of the east wall 20 feet long and 10 feet wide. Stairs lead out of the water up to this platform (which itself raises out of the water by a foot). At the center of this raised platform against the wall are 2 large metal doors, corroded with time. By the oxidation And denting patterns they look to be made of thick bronze. Scrapping on the floor shows that they have been used recently (Fletcher could probably say how long ago if he were still alive) your guess is a month or more. Blocking you access to this raised dias area and door is a large earth mound, a wall of muck, that surrounds the entire raised dias (starting 10 feet out from it). The stairs are also blocked. The mound of earth comes out of the water 3 feet and is 5 to 8 feet wide. Unlike the island no mushrooms grow on this wall, and no stone is associated with it. To get to the stairs or dias you will need to crooss the dirt wall.
Do you wish to cross over it, or do something else (perhaps go to the island). No secret doors or alternate path was found (accept for that little subteranian spring that only Subdolus can investigate (and that would be without his equipment).
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Post by trp2fan on Jul 17, 2008 13:38:17 GMT -5
OOC: Axe, just to get a better image of this layout: is the earthen mound like a half-circle levee surrounding the steps and dais?
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Post by AxeMental on Jul 17, 2008 18:07:57 GMT -5
Yes, and its ends terminate against the east wall so you can't avoid going over it.
And there's ten feet between it and the dias (which it mirrors). So there's water on both sides.
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Post by trp2fan on Jul 17, 2008 19:55:55 GMT -5
Argh. Something unpleasant, I'm sure, swims in the smaller pool.
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Post by cadellin on Jul 18, 2008 2:19:29 GMT -5
"First thing to do is probe the earth with a spear."
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Post by AxeMental on Jul 18, 2008 8:29:32 GMT -5
Do the scouts want to do this or one of the fighters, or something else?
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Post by trp2fan on Jul 18, 2008 9:42:31 GMT -5
Calhagn left his 10 foot pole in this other suit of armor. If anyone has a suitably long stick to loan, then Calhagn will do the honors.
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Post by subdolus on Jul 18, 2008 9:57:51 GMT -5
Subdolus steps aside and then takes a couple steps back happy to leave the task to one of the fighters. After all it doesn't take a specialist to poke something with a stick.
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