Somewhat nervous about entering the room again, Kullonar do so slowly, looking all around, including the ceiling!
He then moves to the shelves and begins to poke around the open boxes.

Myrrick waits quietly while the others search the room, constantly looking around for the puddle. That made him nervous.

There was nothing in the room of interest to Uthecar, and he stands outside as he continues to shake the fuzzy from his head as he waits for the room to be inspected.

Having not been attacked and regaining himself Bruno takes a deep breath, "Well, whatever that thing was it did not attack, so maybe if we just stay out of its way we'll be okay?

"Or maybe it's just a scout for some larger 'body of water'?"

With a laugh he continues, "Whatever the case it seems likely it was in here for some time... If there is no other door here, then we've got to return and follow it, I suppose."

By the time Kullonar is finished checking the room, Uthecar's head is clear and he is ready to lead the way forward down the corridor.

Myrrick takes his place beside his intrepid dwarven friend, leading the party back.

As the party slowly enters, they note that the room has likely stood closed since Zelligar and Roghan left the demesne. A thick coat of dust has gathered over everything.

As the party looks about, they determine the room's dimensions are approx. 25x25.

To the dwarves delight, it is obviously a supply room. Although mostly empty, there are some items one normally finds on a construction site that might prove useful.

The party takes roughly a half hour to look about. An eyeball inventory of the room identifies the following items:

(1) coil of very heavy rope 200' long - looks to be in usable condition.
(1) box of iron spikes (in reasonable shape, though layered in a powdery, white coat of fine dust-like material.
(1) box of metal nails - also covered in the dust-like material.
(80) planks of wood: 10' long, 6"x6" wide (there is quite a bit of dry rot in the wood, also some evidence of termites.
(1) sack of mortar (almost empty) - some evidence of mold inside).
(1) stack of stone blocks: 6"x6"x12" (80 total).
(6) wooden doors. Again, some dryrot, perhaps 4 are serviceable.
(1) Large chest filled with hardware: locks, door hinges, clasps and hasps, door handles, metal bolts and screws and other, similar items. More of the dust-like material.

Party's actions?

Uthecar is not overly interested in any of the items, though the spikes might be useful.  Without a hammer even they are questionable.

"Too bad we don't have a mule," Kullonar says, then sneezes from all the dust and mold.

Zan nodded to Ginger as if having a private conversation with her.

Zan looked over the items found, He could help himself as he helped himself to a couple of locks and a pair of metal spikes.  "Good for practice"

Weasel enters the room like he owns the place, begins looking in corners, at the ceiling all around the floor and walls.

After about fifteen minutes, he sniffs and shakes his head.

"No secret compartments or traps," he declared.

"Oh yes, forgot to mention that there is some sort of enchanted phantasm so what you may think that your seeing may be misleading"

His interest piqued at the gray elf's words Uthecar continues, "So what are we actually seeing then mage?

Weasel's curious, too.

"What's a phantasm?" he asks.

Myrrick waited for Zan to elaborate on his statement.

You all have surmised that there are no other secret doors or hidden compartments and that the inventory taken is 'what you see, is what you get.'

You've been in here a good half hour now. Zan's made an observation, unremarked on. Other than that, the surrounds are silent, and the silence is oppressive. You each get the feeling that something is pending. What it is, and from where it will come, is anyone's guess.

ooc: thoughts or actions. I hesitate to push this along given Zan's information, so I'll leave that up to you.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:08, Sun 09 July 2017.

OOC: Sorry, I thought I'd posted earlier in the week. Doh!

Bruno found the building supplies interesting, "At least this proves that this place was a 'working' fortress once," he mumbles to himself, but shares the party's general disinterest in the stuff in the room.

When Zan makes mention of phantasms he looks at the elf, "So... You are saying that what we see here is not what is actually here? It's an illusion of some sort? Can you see through it yourself?"

"I'm still trying to make sense of it all, the phantasm is strong so seeing through it is a bit of a challenge."

Mostly for Weasel benefit Zan walked up to an area where the Phantasm was and slowly passed his hand through it. "A phantasm is a form of magic where someone would like you to see something a certain way, where the reality could be quite different.  More of a half truth."

With the copper coin dropping, Uthecar adds, "So this phantasm of mundane non-threatening items could actually be hiding something quite lethal.  Can you make the correct image show so we can tell if any of us have been placed in danger?"

Kullonar searches through his acolyte training memories to see if there is anything about exorcising a phantasm or ghost.

ooc:

"The puddle that we thought we saw moving to the portal, was put there to make use think that the thing went through the door.  I would suggest that we make sure that the door is safe before attempting to go through it."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:54, Mon 10 July 2017.

"If there is some sort of illusion here is it this pile of building supplies or something else? Was the puddle an illusion?"

Scanning the room, "Regardless, before you said anything I was convinced there is nothing interesting here. Now we know that there is a phantasm trying to trick us. Does it not make sense that we were supposed to follow the puddle? That the whole point is to keep us from whatever the phantasm is hiding?"

ooc: Everyone roll your saving throws vs. magic in effort to disbelieve.

"It all looks the same to me.  Telling me it is different to what I see makes no difference at all.". The dwarf strokes his axe obviously uncomfortable.

10:26, Today: Uthecar Hornskin II rolled 13 using 1d20+4.  Save verses spells. FAIL