Her hammer at her shoulder Ondrea crosses the room and takes a look through the double doors and what is beyond. She will stand guard at the door while the rest of the room is searched if that is the group decides to do. Should she get the chance Ondrea will take a look though the other door as well.

-

In reply to Ondrea Avalor (msg # 363):


Seeing the altar, Stoney inspects it to glean any information he can.
Afterwards he will check up on Larz, to see if he can sooth any of his elements with some wine.

"Don't be silly little man, I'm fine. Just a little banged up. I've felt worse after a night of drinking." the barbarian replied to Boris, chuckling to himself.

"I'll watch our backs while you and Stoney search the room." he added positioning himself near the entry door. Larz looked over and nodded at Ondrea when he saw she was covering the other doorway.

Boris:  Your initial scan of the area reveals no signs of any sort of mechanism.  The thick dust covering everything does make it a bit easier to find outlines as the dirt would have settled in around any openings.

Ondrea:  Crossing the room, you easily follow the tracks toward the heavy, wooden doors.  Edging up to the wall, you peer through the open doorway and find a cavernous, rough hewn tunnel that runs for maybe 50 or 60 yards.  At the end, you can just make out a large, door-less archway and you can almost swear that you see the faint embers of a dying fire.

Stoney:  Finding any definitive markings is rather difficult as much of the alter is either in pieces or crush under the huge stone slab.  There is some old blood stains, but not an offensive amount, a some basic trappings lie scattered about (bells, candle holders, incense burners, etc.).  Brushing some of the dust aside you do manage to locate some sort of inscription but the language is unknown to you.

Larz:  Taking your post, your vision narrows back towards the cloak room.  You hurt, a lot.  Your will, however, keeps you going.  The air is still and walls are like echo chambers.  If anything is coming, you'll hear it long before you see it, of that you're certain.

In reply to The Powers That Be (msg # 366):

"Boris, come on over here."
Pointing to the inscriptions.
"Can you make out what this says?"

Stoney will grab some of the bells.  They can make a good alarm. Say 5 if there are 5.

Ondrea comes back to the group and reports what she has seen "Could be their main camp within this old temple ?"

She goes back to the door and stands watch in case they have rouse some company.

-

In reply to Stoney Applesmith (msg # 367):

Boris chuckled, then shook his head.

"Read this? No my friend, I think you're the scholar here. I know the common tongue of course, and the Halfling tongue. Latin and Frankish, as well. THis is none of them.

"Now some of my... associates, who we can perhaps call their profession one involving the absconding of valuables, well they studied esoteric languages in their guild training. But I'm not a thief, I have no proficiency in such things."

Upon closer inspection, Stoney, you find that once some of the dust is wiped away, the bells seem to be made of actual silver.

In reply to The Powers That Be (msg # 370):

Boris whistled quietly in appreciation.

"Very impressive, friend Stoney! Those silver bells should be worth a pretty penny."

Ondrea looked back into the room at the mention of the bells, she then returns her gaze back along the tunnel and to the cavern mouth beyond. "Bells, silver bells why is that familiar....

-
This message was lightly edited by the player at 05:17, Fri 12 Jan 2018.

In reply to Ondrea Avalor (msg # 372):

"We tend to ring them at the festival of Christ's Mass. But that's probably not something you are familiar with."

Neither Larz nor Ondrea notice any movement down either corridor nor have they heard anything.

In reply to The Powers That Be (msg # 374):

Gently tapping one of the bels, as he places them in his pack.
"They remind me of my times at the monastery."

Taking a drink.
"Ahhh, good times!
Anyone notice anything up ahead?  All this silence is unnerving!"

In reply to Stoney Applesmith (msg # 375):

Larz turned his gaze to see what Stoney and Boris were up to. The barbarian shook his head when he saw the little man taking another drink from his wineskin. "We better hope we don't find anyone.. he's drunk, and Boris and I are both banged up." he commented, before he turned back to watch the hall.

As Stoney has pointed out, the silence is indeed unnerving.  If it weren't for the four of you moving about and conversing, the silence would probably be rather painful in its' intensity.

Taking the lead again Ondrea presses forward towards the cavern mouth, keeping an ear open she tried to listen for others up ahead. Once at the mouth she would use the cover available to look into the space beyond.

-

In reply to Ondrea Avalor (msg # 378):

Noting Larz's shape, Boris followed, short sword in hand.

In reply to Boris Underhill (msg # 379):

Larzander brought up the rear of the group keeping a watchful eye behind them. Being surprised from the front and from behind wasn't something the barbarian wanted.

In reply to Larzander Gunderzen (msg # 380):

"Larz, you need this, old friend.."
Handing the wineskin to hom.
"Only a drink, though don't get too greedy with it."
Nudging Larz in the arms to lighten the mood.

As the group slowly moves forward through the hall, they all can clearly see the faint embers of a dead fire.  Your movement begins to slow in an attempt to conceal any sounds.  As you reach the archway, you see a somewhat smaller, square room; you estimate it to be approximately 20X20 ft. or so.  In the middle of the room sits the remains of a fire.  No pit existed nor was a ring established, the fire simply being built upon the cold, damp stone floor.  All of you can clearly see a few coals still glowing.  On the left hand wall, you see another rough hewn passageway.

In reply to The Powers That Be (msg # 382):

Approaching the fire, and clearly not 100% there, right now.
"Ohh, nice."
Holding his hands out in front of him to warm them up.
"Nothing better right now than the warmth of hot coals, and a fire.  Well I can think of one thing."
Pulling out his wine skin, which he actually never really puts away.

In reply to Stoney Applesmith (msg # 383):

Boris looked sharply at Stoney, then glanced at Larz and Ondrea. "Stoney, why are you acting the knave?" he asked urgently, if quietly. "It seems our quarry tarried here, perhaps a few scant hours ago. Surely this is a time for seriousness."

In reply to Boris Underhill (msg # 384):

"Sorry, I am simply cold.  As you stated they aren't her anymore, plus Larz & yourself could use a moment's rest.  What better place than here, where the fire is already started & another seems it was safe enough to stop, too."
Putting his hands back inside his clothing, still clutching his wineskin.
"I was simply thinking of you as we need rest to recover, even if the repreve is short in duration.  As you wish, we shall move forward, and onto possible certain death."

In reply to Stoney Applesmith (msg # 385):

"We don't know where they are," Boris pointed out. "They could return at any time, who but God knows?

"And while it is Godly of you to think of the others, discussing this first before draining your wineskin would be wiser, right?"

He addressed the others. "Should we stop and rest, or carry on? I for one say let us press on, at least to see if these tunnels are empty of our prey."

In reply to Boris Underhill (msg # 386):



 "They're gone for now, but what if they come back?" the barbarian replied to Stoney's comment. "I'm good to keep going if that's what's decided." Larz added.