PMs

Renard moves closer to the corpse, though making sure to stay within 15 feet of the nearest group member.  After a quick inspection of the bones he turns to answer Raznik's question, "Two weeks old, maybe more.  It was likely just a cow or some other herd animal, probably food for whatever was held in here before the wall was knocked down."  He shrugs slightly and moves back towards the rear of the group, ready to move up whenever those in the front do.

Kuldar's eyes darted around as he scanned the area, he eventually shook his head and returned his attention to the room directly ahead. "No hidden stonework far as I can see. Any of you think maybe this be where the large beast we encountered outside came from?"

Skraag looks over the area as the group moves closer, both with his darkvision and magic sight.



OOC:
01:27, Today: Skraag rolled 21 using 1d20+5. Perception.
Casting detect magic

"It is strong with powerful claws, that's all I can tell for sure," says Solomon as he runs his fingers across the three large grooves left in the wall.  Refocusing on detecting evil, he trys to sense if there is something nearby.

"Well whatever it was, whether it was the thing we faced earlier or not, it doesn't seem to be here now. Let's continue, lest it decide it wants to come back for a snack." Urging the others on, Temnir follows behind into the rest of the room as they move forward. Upon checking for traps and the like, they find that the small corridor leading to the second room to be empty except for a doorway into the room. Peeking around the corner shows six bone-adorned pillars arranged in a circle with raised and broken stone in the middle of them. There doesn't seem to be any sign of life in the room or the blood that had been prevalent in a few of the other rooms of the mine. Now that the group can see the rest of the room, they can see that the only other passageway is the one that leads north, back to where they fought the festrogs and the gate that Felicia had triggered close.


This message was last edited by the GM at 18:31, Sun 30 Sept 2012.

Peering into this room Renard sees the strange pillars, wondering if perhaps there was any sort of religious significance to them.  Though he would like to get closer he doesn't know what sort of traps might be in the way, and given the sort of stuff he has encountered so far in this cave he is not about to go barging into any dangerous situations, "Would anybody be able to check for traps?  I'd like to get a closer look at those things..."  He will hold back until someone is able to secure the room and then follow them in to examine the morbid ornamentation.


17:58, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 19 using 1d20+8. Knowledge: Religion.

Skraag steps forwards to the doorway, careful not to actually enter the room and looks it over for any magic auras, studying any he sees.



OOC:
Detect Magic
J-15

This message was last edited by the player at 02:02, Mon 01 Oct 2012.

"We came in here to get answers to what may have happened to Temnir's companions.  I think we now have a fairly good idea.  There is no reason to risk further harm by toying with traps that may or may not be there," Solomon warned the others.  He and Cho'kobo headed north towards one of the gates.

Something about the bone pillars appeals to Raznik, who moves in, studying them. "I wonder what ritual these were used in." Not as wary as the others of the dark magic likely involved, and having not been listening when Temnir had warned about the altar, he reaches out, making to touch the nearest one, as if the texture of it might reveal more.

22:50, Today: Raznik Tayn rolled 23 using 1d20+13. Knowledge: Arcana.

Kuldar eyes the pillars warily, wondering what use they could have as he moved behind Solomon, eager to leave this foul place. "Hm...this room sends a chill up me spine, we'd best keep on our toes..." He said looking over the remains of some fight or...meal. "Far as checking for traps, could always slide a large rock along the ground, beyond that I ain't exactly qualified."

22:03, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 29 using 1d20+9. Knowledge: any.

The pillars don't seem to react to the group's presence at the periphery of the room, at least no traps are set off when they look around the corner. As the various members attempt to identify the pillars' function, Raznik bold strides into the room, seemingly intent on showing them what they do firsthand. "I wonder what ritual these were used in," he muses aloud though his question doesn't go unanswered for long. As soon as his fingers make contact with the pillar, a low humming starts resonating in the chamber and the air becomes energized with some sort of energy. For those looking in on the room from outside the circle of pillars, the space between them all begins to shimmer and warp, Raznik along with it but to Raznik, nothing seems to change other than the slight feeling that his body is feeling lighter and more dynamic than it normally should...

Skraag call out to Raznik and the others, "Really strong magic now! Changing magic! Get out Raznik!"

Skraag makes no move to get closer. He doesn't have the strength to pull the fellow out anyway.

"BY THE DEVIL'S SANDS!  I told you not to you not to risk it!" Solomon cursed.  While he was gifted by Pelor, he was not a true magic user.  He was unsure of how to intervene.

Renard, out of sight at the back of the group, casts a spell on himself, mumbling the magic words to the accompaniment of rattling chains.  It takes only a few short seconds, and then he steels himself, saying softly, "Been nice knowing you, Jeeves..." then he plunges into the magic, reaching for Raznik and reciting the same magic words he used just a few seconds before.

Temnir had decided to be the one to keep watch behind them should anything appear to become a threat to them but so far had found nothing to be amiss. Hearing the cries from the rest of the group though, he turns, a bit jumpy, to see what all the commotion is about. "The nine hells are you guys doi-" at that moment, Renard jumps into the room and into the spell effect. "Have you lost your gods damned minds?! We have no idea what that does! The last time someone I know touched one of the artifacts from this cult, their finger started to have the skin and muscle flayed from their bone!"

Fascinated by the energies in the room, Raznik feels them wash over him, oblivious to the potential danger until the chorus of voices urging him to get out of the ritual, sur him into action. Feeling a little dizzy, he staggers from the area, making his way towards the rest of the group. The strange feeling of shifting makes him feel a little nauseous, as his eyes find it hard to focus on the members of the group moving to his aid. "I am alright. Thank you for the concern."

Kuldar shielded his eyes from the reaction that had begun, firmly planting his feet to the ground to avoid being pulled in, but it seemed Raznik was  the only one in danger- until Renard decided to go and throw himself into the mess. "Lads...these pillars are likely the foci for what changed that Gray Render." He cursed his short legs as he watched Raznik and Renard with a mix of fear and curiosity.

With his eyes shut as he plunges headlong into the magical field Renard's heroics were cut off abruptly as he bumbles blindly into Raznik.  He opens his eyes and blinks a few times before placing a guiding hand on the fellow's shoulder and guiding him back out, still discharging that spell of protection from evil just in case.

"Why did you rush in like that?  I can't even begin to imagine what sort of affects those things will have."  He surreptitiously eyes his own hand on Raznik's shoulder, looking for any sign of blackness or shriveling.

As Renard comes out of the warping light effect within the circle of pillars, he looks to Raznik's well being. Sure enough, it seemed Kuldar's assessment was correct; In placs, Raznik's skin had become completely translucent and when he moved his extremities, they left an trail of arm like apparitions exactly as the grey render had. The plus side was that he was not showing any sign of blackened, decayed, dead, or flayed skin where he had touched the pillar and Renard seemed to be immune to the effect. It could have had to do with the protection from evil he had imbued himself with and Raznik's condition could have been worse had he not done the same for him. It could also just be that he was not in the effect long enough to be thoroughly exposed to it though. After a minute of humming away, the pillars finally begin to grow silent and the warping, shimmering air dissipates.

Solomon strode towards Raznik, his hand balled into a fist.  It looked like he intended to strike the man; and that was, indeed, what he was going to do if not stopped.  "You fool!  It seems as if necromancers have used this place to perform perverse evil experiments and you just..." it seemed he was too angry to even finish his sentence.  "You put us all in danger!"

Raznik turns to Renard and nods his thanks, the quickly shrugs away from his hand, almost fearing its touch. As Soloman moves to swing his fist, he flinches slightly, but doesn't duck or try to avoid it. He seems ashamed of his actions and carelessness. "I... am sorry. I hoped that I would learn something of the spirits from the magic here, but it would seem I was wrong."

Stepping forward from the back of the group, Temnir doesn't miss the opportunity to be justified in speaking condescendingly to someone, "Well there are other ways to learn about spirits other than to become one yourself. There are those in Derevaan who specialize in their manipulation and communication. Not in the ways of our friendly necromancers here, more of a channel to the ethereal realm. But if we don't ever leave this cave, it won't matter. If there's nothing in here to cleanse and we don't wish to just destroy these pillars, I vote we move on and find where Blaith has skulked off to."

Renard sighs and nods in agreement with Temnir's statement, letting his hand slip from Raznik's shoulder.  He casts a doubtful look back into the room where the pillars have gone dark and silent before turning back to the group, "As I said, the quicker we get out of here the better.  Let's find this Blaith-thing and find a way to end this undead menace once and for all."

Skraag trots up to Solomon and tugs on his trouser leg to get his attention. "Ummm. Should we not destroy those magic pillars? They might change other people or creatures if we don't."