Chapter 1: The Whispering Cairn

Basil_Bottletop · March 4

Armando Railwalker Gnomish Warlock

Even the illusion of matching the wilder woman's prowess in physical contact made the gnome flinch. He'd seen how she'd dispatched the wolves. No doubt she'd destroy his limb if she hit him firmly. Armando slunk away to the corner of the fresco to look both busy and perhaps hidden.

As Allera worked, Armando watched in curiosity. There wasn't much to look at really, but he noticed the subtleties at least. She was pretty when she was engrossed in her magic. He wondered if she knew that.

When it came up empty and she was ready to leave, Armando made no argument. They made quick work catching up and he was pleased to have been given a chance to catch his breath. Now he was sweating again, but he didn't notice it as much as he had before.

"Musta been someone important." He declared before shuffling forward a few feet to get a better look on the sarcophagus, but not getting so close as to climb the dais steps. "An ancestor of you's?" He asked Allera.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action:
Bonus Action:
Move:
Manipulate:

March 5

PC

Alatia Carnwheat Human Cleric 1

Listens to Thorin and nods, before thinking a moment and replying with, "Yes, I think so too. But then why would they, or someone else, have removed it? Why remove them at all? To close off a passage?"

She was about to add to her thoughts before she spots the sarcophagus and bounds up the dais to join Allera. Over her shoulder she replies to Thorin, "We do not bury the dead. Those who follow the light of Pelor are set aflame." In normal circumstances the priestess would have talked more about the rituals of Pelor, but at this moment the sarcophagus had her entire focus.

"Oooh! Isn't it gorgeous." Alatia kneels by the sarcophagus with a wide smile on her face and starts to examine the stone work to see if she can recall anything from her studies. She runs a hand along its side, and then as an after thought, removes it quickly. To the group, "Could it be trapped? I've read about things to stop tomb thieves."

Mechanics

Main Hand: Mace
Off Hand: Shield

Action: -
Bonus Action: -
Move: -
Manipulate: -
Reaction: If attacked within 30ft Alatia will use her reaction to cast Warding Flare in order to impose disadvangate on the attack.

bwatford · March 5

Chapter 1: The Whispering Cairn

Part One: A Face in Darkness

Thodin approached the sarcophagus, he did not recognize the person depicted on its lid, but it was a tall figure cloaked in a simple garment of flowing cloth. It was difficult to say why, exactly, but the outfit conjured thoughts of ancient times. The figure at first looks human, but a cursory examination reveals that it is about 7 feet tall, is completely hairless, and is of indeterminate sex. Its arms and hands rest at its side. The left-hand curls upon itself in a fist, but the right is placed palm up, with the thumb turned in and all but the index finger held parallel to the arm. The index finger, originally curled under the thumb (see illustration below) but was now broken off and was no longer present.

Allera entered the tomb after nothing happened to Thodin when he approached, her senses open to magic she scanned the immediate area, there was a slight aura of deep red with jagged lines coming from around the sarcophagus, which meant that there was minor evocation magic resonating somewhere within. The other tunnels were just too great a distance to sense anything else at the moment, so she once again removed the indigo lantern from her pack and began to make calculation as in which direction in might go based on the fresco they had seen. She then proceeded to move down that tunnel which was directly east of the sarcophagus. The chain at the end of this passage ended in a simple hook. Once there she hung the indigo lantern on the hook, when nothing happened, she returned to join the dwarf near the sarcophagus.

Armando moved up next to Sunny, both keeping their distance back a bit from the others, but the gnome quickly pointed out that the figure depicted wore a scarab-like amulet around its neck, inscribed with a symbol that he did not recognize.

Alatia moved passed Thodin and Allera to step up onto the platform and examine the stonework of the sarcophagus. Running her hands along the edges and looking for anything she might recognize. From this vantage point she realized that the sarcophagus rests upon a small, raised platform carved in the shape of a stylistic arrow, with the tip aligned with the head of the relief figure upon the lid and a short 'shaft' extending from the foot of the sarcophagus. The arrow was currently pointing toward the orange lantern.

Sunny's lantern begins to sputter in the last few minutes of life, which meant they had been in the cairn now for almost an hour.

The Whispering Cairn
Cairn Hills (About two hours outside of Diamond Lake)
6:56 pm, MoondayMonday the 9th of ReapingJuly, 595 CY

Scene Information:

Skill Checks
(do not read them if you do not make them)
You must be proficient to make a check with a * by it.

DC 16 Arcana* check

You recognize the symbol of the scarab amulet as a personal glyph of some powerful elemental entity.

Sunny
Your torch will go out next update, remove one torch from your inventory if you haven't already and you will need to relight a new one if desired.

Notes
We are on a map (see Active Map spoiler) please use directions (N,S,E,W,NE,SE, etc) when moving. (i.e. I move 2 squares N and 4 E).

Show Active Maps

WHISPERING CAIRN

Show Bookkeeping

PASSIVE PERCEPTION SCORES

INITIATIVE

Not in Use!!

MECHANICS

Not in Use!!

CONDITIONS

Alatia
Light Spell (44 minutes remaining)

Allera
Concentrating on Detect Magic (4 minutes remaining)

Sunny
Torch (2 minutes remaining)

Thodin
Torch (44 minutes remaining)

DESCRIPTIONS

Not in Use!!

ALATIA CARNWHEAT

Hit Points: 10/10
Hit Dice: 1/1
Warding Flare: 3/3 *L
Spell Slots: (+5, DC 13) *L

1st Level: 1/2

DM Inspiration: 1/1

ALLERA LORABELIS

Hit Points: 8/8
Hit Dice: 1/1
Arcane Recovery: 1/1 *L
Spell Slots: (+6, DC 14) *L

1st Level: 2/2

DM Inspiration: 1/1

ARMANDO RAILWALKER

Hit Points: 9/9 (gnome cunning)
Hit Dice: 1/1
Pact Magic: (+4, DC 12) *L

1st Level: 1/1

DM Inspiration: 1/1

RIFFRAFF

Hit Points: 9/9
Hit Dice: 1/1
DM Inspiration: 1/1

SUNNY

Hit Points: 15/15
Hit Dice: 1/1
Rage: 1/2 *L
DM Inspiration: 1/1

THODIN EVERSHARP

Hit Points: 13/13 (RESIST: poison SAVADV: poisoned)
Hit Dice: 1/1
Divine Sense: 3/3 *L
Lay on Hands: 5/5 *L
DM Inspiration: 1/1

JubalBreakbottle · March 5

PC

Thodin Eversharp Dwarven Paladin 1

Thodin nods at Alatia's answer, "good. So, we don't have problems opening this tomb and removing any valuables."

After examining the tomb, he wonders aloud, "Do you think this tomb pivots, so we could point it at the green lantern? It's the only one still lit, or could be lit, since we're missing oil."

He continues examining the stonework looking for telltale signs of stone on stone scraping and a small gap between the dais and the floor to indicate that the weight sits on a fulcrum instead of the floor.

As an afterthought, he calls out to Sunny without looking up from his examination of the interface between the dais and floor. "Sunny, your torch looks like it's going to burn out. Take mine that I lit to get through the webs. I don't really need it."

Mechanics

Main Hand: torch
Off Hand: Shield

Action: Perception
Bonus Action: -.
Move: toward tomb
Manipulate: -.

Edited March 6 by JubalBreakbottle (see edit history)

MysteriousMiller · March 5

Riffraff

Ratfolk, Scoundrel - Rogue 1

AC: 15 | HP: 9/9 | Init: +3 | PP: 15

Sneak Attack: 1d6 | DM Inspiration: 0

At Alatias comment about traps and tomb thieves, Riffraff's chest swelled with pride.

"One trapsmith at your service" he declared with a squeak of glee, before beginning a close examination of the sarcophagus.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Sling
Off Hand: Empty

Action: Search for traps
Bonus Action: none
Move: W N N N Up to the sarcophagus
Manipulate: none

Dixi · March 5

PC

Allera Lorabelis Half-elf Wizard 1

"Certainly not!"

Allera's eyes, at the moment affected by magic, flashed angrily at the preposterous suggestions of her relations with the entity on the coffin. She immediately got hold of her anger, though.

"I am not from this city."

The walk to the "indigo" corridor calmed her down completely. "Hm.. The lamp did not lighten up. Maybe we still need the oil... We need to check if the green lantern has some."

She fully supported Alatia's notion about traps and stepped back when Riffraff offered to handle one, giving a warning first, though.

"I sense magic inside this sarcophagus. It is of a dangerous kind, the one that can bend the elements to its will, like sending lightning bolt or summoning fire. Be careful."

She took another step back.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action:
Bonus Action:
Move:
Manipulate: Your one free object interaction goes here.

Edited March 5 by Dixi (see edit history)

Basil_Bottletop · March 6

Armando Railwalker Gnomish Warlock

Armando flinched at the woman's angry response. He'd been confident that their time down here was quickly coming to a conclusion with this wonderful discovery and she would be a tickled pig about it. The animosity had been so unexpected that it left him shook. He watched her walk away and stammered to recovery.

When she returned, Armando made himself scarce around her. Easy enough, he moved to the other side of the dais and looked over the sarcophagus from this angle, keeping her and the wild blonde in his periphery. The new perspective put him face to face with the scarab design.

The gnome let out a puff of air that squeaked just a little. "Issa trap." He said after a quick recovery of his breath. "I mean, it's got one right there. Yes? You see's it?" He corrected, pointing at the scarab and slowly backing away.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action:
Bonus Action:
Move:
Manipulate:

JubalBreakbottle · March 6

PC

Thodin Eversharp Dwarven Paladin 1

Thodin doesn't flinch when the apprentice wizard loudly reacts to the joke. The sculpture's body shape was closer to hers than the gnome's or his. Doesn't she know that jokes are part of gnome's culture? Probably not, I guess.

But, the dwarven miner freezes like a statue, when the gnome declares that there is a trap, not knowing exactly where he's pointing. He slowly looks toward the gnome pointing to the scarab on the sculpture. Coltan unfreezes and slowly stands backing away from the dias. "Armando? What do you see in the trap? How is it triggered? And, what happens when it's triggered?"

Mechanics

Main Hand: torch
Off Hand: Shield

Action: Perception
Bonus Action: -.
Move: toward tomb
Manipulate: -.

Cointhief · March 6

Sunny Suel Barbarian 1

16.14.16.8.10.10 | init +2 | AC 15 | HP 15/15 | HD 1

Animal Handling +2, Athletics +5, Intimidation +2, Perception +2, Performance +2

Rage: OX

Sunny couldn't see the sarcophagus well, yet somehow coulud hear it clearly. The tomb spoke to her in twisted rhymes from beyond the grave, describing and encouraging a certain ritual of blood. Arcane symbols flashed in her imagination, a call to scribe the marks on stone. The symbol would anchor the space, and invoke a connection to other realms (or so the sarcophagus claimed).

There were more instructions, and as the coffin went on and on, Sunny was counting the steps on her fingers. Offerings followed the drawn symbols, with sacrifice being more powerful. It was the only way to prove she was truly committed, as she was told.

Next were detailed descriptions of the chantings and visulizations. She lifted her linen sleeve at the wrist and saw writing burned into her flesh, a song of summoning that was also a mneumonic for gestures and body movements. Such motions would align the ritualists flesh with that on the other side.

"Huh?" She said dumbly as a torch was thrown at her from somewhere, striking her directly in the face with no attempt at all to catch it. She remained standing for an unconfortable amount of time, still entranced by the voice of the dead. ~...I know what you have taken. They will find you...~ it claimed.

With a practiced spark of flint the torch lit quickly, a way to ward off the voice in her head.

ooc: no position change, press torch's on button

Dixi · March 7

PC

Allera Lorabelis Half-elf Wizard 1

To be honest, Allera would not be able to explain her anger. Something in that bald genderless figure on the sarcophagus felt unsettling. So much so, that Allera could not concentrate on the sculpture (and definitely not accept a joke about that figure related to her).

She looked where Armando was pointing but the dangerous magical aura emanating from the thing was too distracting to understand the symbol's meaning.

Allera shook her head and just repeated to Riffraff "Be careful."

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action:
Bonus Action:
Move:
Manipulate: Your one free object interaction goes here.

Basil_Bottletop · March 7

Armando Railwalker Gnomish Warlock

Pulled from his fixation on the scarab, Armando's footsteps pause at the bottom of the dais. It takes another moment to pull his attention away, but when he does look to the others it's only for brief moments before returning to the scarab or Riffraff in an effort to not miss anything important.

"Traps are traps." He replied, not fully grasping what was being asked of him. "That'un ain't put there by accident, no no. Maybe it go away if we go away." He shook his head, dismissing the thoughts in his head as best he could. "Go do something else, maybe it go away." Armando waved his hands in the air, physically wiping his hands of the whole matter and taking another big step backwards.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action:
Bonus Action:
Move:
Manipulate:

March 7

PC

Alatia Carnwheat Human Cleric 1

Alatia turns, glancing at the rat-like man's reply and smiles to herself a little. Riffraff's enthusiasm and cheerful squeak were a much welcome contrast to the feeling of gloom that was beginning to envelop her down here in the caves.

She stepped back off the dais, letting Riffraff do his trapsmith thing. With the image of the sarcophagus carving in her mind she says aloud, "The lid, the carving of that man has a missing finger. Can you see it laying around?", and then more to herself, "Why would anyone take a finger of a statue?"

Listening to Thorin she nods in agreement. "It would make sense. If safe, I think we should give it a push. Or.. at least someone with some muscle could."

The priestess recasts her light cantrip on her mace in a vain attempt to make the room brighter. At the very least it brings a moment of closeness to her god and she takes some comfort in it. She wonders what's causing the green lantern to glow and steps underneath it, looking up to examine it. "Should we detach this one?"

Mechanics

Main Hand: Mace
Off Hand: Shield

Action: -
Bonus Action: -
Move: -
Manipulate: -
Reaction: If attacked within 30ft Alatia will use her reaction to cast Warding Flare in order to impose disadvangate on the attack.

Edited March 7 by FireHound (see edit history)

bwatford · March 8

Chapter 1: The Whispering Cairn

Part One: A Face in Darkness

Thodin examine the floor around the dais, it was pretty obvious that there was a crack between the dais and the main floor, he did believe that the whole thing might turn, with enough strength of course. Once he was done, he passed off his torch to Sunny.

Riffraff began an investigation of the sarcophagus, looking at it from each side, across the top of the lid, in the seam of the lid, probing with both eye and tools. Looking for anything out of the ordinary. Of course, he quickly spied the triggering mechanism, most would have missed it altogether. It was not wires that he found, but small glyphs, carved into the stonework of the edge of the lid. He did believe there was a magical ward in place that would trigger when the lid was opened. Disarming such a trap was beyond his expertise as someone more magically inclined would need to be the one to figure out a way to safely turn it off.

Allera stepped back from the sarcophagus as Riffraff worked, her senses fading as did the magical auras as her spell ended.

Armando did much the same, stepping back next to Sunny as the investigation of the sarcophagus began in more detail. The position was linguistically better if there were a trap, but it didn't make the gnome feel much better as Sunny was mumbling to herself and counting something on her fingers until she was interrupted by the torch being passed to her. He then thought better of that position and returned to join Riffraff at his task as he explained his rationale behind the scarab.

Alatia stepped off the dais as she reinstated the prayer on her glowing mace as she looked around for the missing finger of which she could find no sign. Thodin was quick to point out the absence of any stone residue near the broken finger meant he had not been broken off recently. The cleric then held her mace high and proceeded up the tunnel toward the glowing green lantern.

Once there, she noticed that the tunnels, while only ten feet high at the start, reached an apex of forty feet high over the lantern, with the long chain dangling down to put the lantern at head level. The green lantern was much the same as the indigo one had been, same design and shape. Looking down she could see a 5-foot diameter circle carved in the floor, directly below the hanging lantern. She made a note to herself to not step within the circle out of an abundance of caution.

Looking at the lantern itself was another matter, within its lenses it looked as if someone had placed a stub of a torch, the torch was ablaze but gave off no heat. She had seen this magic before. She believed the nickname gave to them were everburning torches. Some cities used them for continual light. She only knew because a lot of time the temples would furnish the prayer that was needed to make the flame everlasting. For a fee of course.

The Whispering Cairn
Cairn Hills (About two hours outside of Diamond Lake)
7:05 pm, MoondayMonday the 9th of ReapingJuly, 595 CY

Scene Information:

A DC 11 Arcana check (must be proficient) to disarm the trap on the lid.

A DC 11 Strength check is needed to turn the sarcophagus one position clockwise. It cannot be turned counterclockwise.

Notes
We are on a map (see Active Map spoiler) please use directions (N,S,E,W,NE,SE, etc) when moving. (i.e. I move 2 squares N and 4 E).

Show Active Maps

WHISPERING CAIRN

Show Bookkeeping

PASSIVE PERCEPTION SCORES

INITIATIVE

Not in Use!!

MECHANICS

Not in Use!!

CONDITIONS

Alatia
Light Spell (60 minutes remaining)

Sunny
Torch (45 minutes remaining)

DESCRIPTIONS

Not in Use!!

ALATIA CARNWHEAT

Hit Points: 10/10
Hit Dice: 1/1
Warding Flare: 3/3 *L
Spell Slots: (+5, DC 13) *L

1st Level: 1/2

DM Inspiration: 1/1

ALLERA LORABELIS

Hit Points: 8/8
Hit Dice: 1/1
Arcane Recovery: 1/1 *L
Spell Slots: (+6, DC 14) *L

1st Level: 2/2

DM Inspiration: 1/1

ARMANDO RAILWALKER

Hit Points: 9/9 (gnome cunning)
Hit Dice: 1/1
Pact Magic: (+4, DC 12) *L

1st Level: 1/1

DM Inspiration: 1/1

RIFFRAFF

Hit Points: 9/9
Hit Dice: 1/1
DM Inspiration: 1/1

SUNNY

Hit Points: 15/15
Hit Dice: 1/1
Rage: 1/2 *L
DM Inspiration: 1/1

THODIN EVERSHARP

Hit Points: 13/13 (RESIST: poison SAVADV: poisoned)
Hit Dice: 1/1
Divine Sense: 3/3 *L
Lay on Hands: 5/5 *L
DM Inspiration: 1/1

JubalBreakbottle · March 9

PC

Thodin Eversharp Dwarven Paladin 1

Thodin shares his conclusions, "there's a crack between the dais and the main floor. Think I can turn the whole thing with enough persuasion." He grins at his own joke.

"But, I think the trap should be disabled first. Turning the dais might trigger it." He looks at Armando, Riffraff and Allera.

Mechanics

Main Hand: empty
Off Hand: Shield

Action: Perception
Bonus Action: -.
Move: -.
Manipulate: -.

Dixi · March 9

PC

Allera Lorabelis Half-elf Wizard 1

"Oh..." The trap turned out to be magical. Allera felt equally curious and scared - after all, she just declared magic trapped in the sarcophagus to be dangerous.

Assuming the most confident expression she could muster in the circumstances, Allera approached the sarcophagus again and looked at the runes Riffraff found.

The magical vision faded away but runes were perfectly visible without it.

"I think I understand how it works. But maybe step back for a moment." If inside was indeed a fireball, stepping back would not do much but Allera felt she knew what she was doing.

After a few moments of contemplation, she began to weave elaborate gestures in the air, muttering incantations under her breath. With a surge of power, Allera directed a controlled burst of magical energy toward the glyphs, disrupting the ward that lay within.

"Should be safe now." She hesitated a moment but then added. "Do you think we are meant to open the lid or just turn the whole thing around?"

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action:
Bonus Action:
Move:
Manipulate: Your one free object interaction goes here.

Edited March 9 by Dixi (see edit history)

Text_1	Text_2	Text_3	Bold_1	Accent_1	Mood_1
Warm_1	Warm_2	Warm_3	Bold_2	Accent_2	Mood_2
Cool_1	Cool_2	Cool_3	Bold_3	Accent_3	Mood_3
Bright_1	Bright_2	Bright_3	Bold_4	Accent_4	Mood_4

Chapter 1: The Whispering Cairn

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