CH. 02 - A Grave Situation

[Matt4]

"Gosh, I got worried for a minute." - Giunona says as she helps Nicholas regain his balance. "There, sit here lad. We'll make a break to catch our breath."

While the others rest, she checks the skulls in the back to see if they're also trapped as the ones in the front.

Perception+Guidance: cK0HPrE31d20+5 + 1d41d20+5·1d4

[Daos]

As far as Giunona can tell, the back skulls are not trapped.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever done," Thuskar admits, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"Yeah, I think a little pee came out when those things--whatever they are--first appeared," Ulster agreed.  "What did they do to us?  I feel so...weak."

"Me, too," Thuskar says.  "Like I haven't slept in days."

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: Yes - Active Effect(s): None

Giunona goes back to the others, nodding as they speak: "Don't worry, we'll rest for a bit now while we decide on what to do next. As for those spirits...Already meet 'em once, they feast on physical strength, probably in an attempt to recover their lost one. Nothing that a good old rest can't help wear it out though, don't worry." - she snickers.

Then he sits on the ground, her legs crossed: "There is something that's bugging me about this altar. The skulls in the front are trapped, but the ones in the back aren't. And now that I can think things clearly... Why in the world would you trap the skulls?"

OOC actions

While we discuss things, can we consider this the start of a short rest?

[Daos]

"People usually trap things to protect them," Terence reasons.  "And indeed, those strange dark forms came out of the skulls when you approached the altar, so perhaps that was the trap."

============

(OOC:  A short rest takes an hour.  If you want to elapse an hour ahead, we can.)

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: Yes - Active Effect(s): None

"But all four of them glowed back then, shouldn't all of them be trapped if the trap was the one that summoned the spirits? I'm not convinced." - she turned to glance a look to the skulls. - "I think there may be some sort of mechanism in there, and the skulls' trap is supposed to discourage people outside of the cult to snoop around."

OOC 

yep, mostly because they took multiple hits and I can't heal everyone ;_; let's say we discuss things as the hour passes.

Also, I wanted to ask..what kind of weapons were in the room with the ogres?

[Daos]

"What sort of mechanism?" asks Nicholas.

As the party talks, an hour passes as they take a breather, patch their wounds, and snack a bit on rations.  Everyone seems back to full vigor and health afterward.

=============

It is now Eighteenth Bell (6:00 PM).

Terence spends 1 HD to heal (1d10+2):  12 HP.
vDo0nuhS1d10+2

Ulster spends 2 HD to heal (2d8+2):  12 HP.
2d8+2

Thuskar spends 2 HD to heal (2d8+2):  13 HP.
2d8+2

Nicholas spends 1 HD to heal (1d8+3):  7 HP.
1d8+3

(OOC:  Just a rack of polearms, so glaives, halberds and pikes, since those are the only ones that seem to still exist in 5E.)
1d10·2d8+2·2d8+2·1d8+3

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: Yes - Active Effect(s): None

"This I'm not sure." - she answers to Nicholas. - "But you see, when you trap something is because either you know people are gonna touch it, like a chest or a door, or are gonna pass on it, like a slab or a stair step. If you go out of your way to trap something as hideous as those skull - I mean who in their right mind would touch them, look at them? - there as to be a good damn reason."

After everyone is rested, Giunona instructs them to keep their guards up as she starts manipulating the skulls.

OOC Actions

Hmm okay, I hoped there was something for Nicholas but they're all martial weapons, so nvm.

As for the skulls, she'll try different approaches. Push them, pull them, try to push them in a random order, you get the gist.
Let's start with the untrapped first, then if nothing happens I'll give it a try with the trapped ones.

[Daos]

Giunona pushes down on both of the back skulls, and there is a loud click.  Then the altar begins to shift to the side, revealing a secret passageway behind it.  Not far beyond is a set of stairs that descend deeper into the dark earth.

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: Yes - Active Effect(s): None

Giunona turns with a prideful smile: "Ah! Here we go." - as she hurries excitedly along the new-found passage.

"Come along, lads. Come along!"

edit:

Perception check for traps on the stairs, before descending: sQdHbFmn1d20+51d20+5

[Daos]

The humans are more cautious in following Giunona, as the torch has since burned out and they cannot see as well as her in the dark.  The secret staircase from the altar winds down through solid rock, descending about 30 feet further into the Cairn. It emerges in a dark chamber of polished black granite. Directly ahead of her is a large double-door, emblazoned with the coiled serpent seal she has seen elsewhere in the ruins. Beside the door, a series of soft-glowing words are cut into the rock. On her left and right, a couple of smaller doors lead back towards the north. The room is unnaturally cold; her breath hangs in the air, and she can’t suppress a wave of shivering that strikes her.

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: Yes - Active Effect(s): None

Giunona waits for the others to arrive then, as they do so, she apologizes: "Sorry, I got carried away... Here." - she says, as she extend another torch to Nicholas.

"Now, let's see what we have here..." - she gets close to the wall with the words on it. - "That's... New, never saw something like that before."

[Daos]

Moving closer, Giunona can see that the words are written in the Common tongue.  They read as follows:

"In this, the Year of the Gilded Cormorant, I set my seal upon the crypt beyond this door. Evil slumbers within. To ward the realm I have placed my stave over the tomb; let no person disturb it. Heed this, my warning."

-Prefect and Bishop Astara Trueheart

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: Yes - Active Effect(s): None

"That's it!" - Giunona almost shouts, before catching herself and lowering her voice. - "That's it, lads! We found where the seal of Trueheart is. Shall we go in and check if something is wrong with it?"

OOC Actions

Perception check on the door: 1a_HG4Fd1d20+5

if we're going inside next, I'll be careful not to touch the dragon emblem opening the door, if that's possible.1d20+5

[Daos]

"The Year of the Gilded Cormorant..," Friar Nicholas muses.  "That was 240 years ago."

"Well then, it sounds like this is what we are here for," Captain Miles agrees.  "So we may as well enter."

Examining the doors closely, she can see that they are made of treated wood and are reinforced with steel.  There is no apparent lock, so one should be able to just push them open.  Placing her hands upon the door, she pushes them open.  They creak very loudly, the sound echoing all over the chamber.

Inside the center of the room lies a massive stone sarcophagus on a raised dais. The chamber has a high, vaulted ceiling of dark granite, and four braziers in the corners burn with a smokeless green flame that casts evil shadows throughout the chamber. Across the room she sees a shelf or small altar, with a skull made of pure crystal resting on it. The walls and floor are bare of any decoration, and the air is as cold in here as it was in the chamber outside. The green light of the torches dances in the eyes of the crystalline skull.

Stepping closer, she can see that the sarcophagus in the room’s center is encircled by a protective circle of runes, cut into the stone floor.

[Matt4]

Giunona Scarletbark

HP: 33/33 - AC: 18 - CD: 1/1 - Inspiration: Yes - Active Effect(s): None

Giunona starts getting close to the circle of runes to inspect it, keeping an eye on the creepy skull on the altar.

"Be sure not to touch anything." - she turns to look in particular at Ulster and Thuskar. - "Anything."