Bran had let out another pained but muffled cry through his closed lips as the debris was lifted, but then let out a sharp gasp of relief as the weight was gone from his legs. "Oh thank Selune!"

He tried to relax a bit, but was still in great amounts of pain. "As alright as I can be for now. I don't want to risk losing my spells by healing myself for now. If I get more desperate..." His voice was still hoarse as well and not just from trying to be quiet.

Convinced the door should work normally Cinnabar opens it without delay, then proceeds to move forward far more carefully, setting one foot down at a time, testing the weight limit quickly but not recklessly as she moves into the weaker part of the building.

"I am unsure if the magic is fading over time, or as we descend into this pit of a building."

“It may be this strange world, Kel’li.” Basilisa peered down the dark shaft where her friends remained trapped. “I’m going after Cinnabar. If she’s right, we should find a way out downstairs. We need to get you out before the whole thing collapses!” Then, she cautiously proceeded after Connabar.

There seem ta be skeletons over 'ere, he says in his hoarse whisper.  Unsure if they are animated ones on guard duty, or if they are just burials, he does not want to take any chances in the damaged confines in which they find themselves.

The door for Cinnabar opens into a stairwell. The way up is black by debris from the collapsed upper stories. The way down however appears to be clear and structurally sound. Looking down the stairwell she can see a door at the next landing down and the the stairs continue down for another two flights ending in what appears to be a hallway possibly.

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As Bran rests and tries to recover a bit. Kel'li and Joser can take a moment to look around. The skeletons are not human or any other race the two have met. The ones that appear to have been adults would have been around seven feet in height but of a slender build. Their skulls are narrow and elongated. With a quick count you realize there are at least thirty skeletons. They appear to range in size from adults to infants. It appears they may have taken refuge here before they perished.

On the far side of the large chamber there is a depressed area about four feet deep that runs the length of the room. Entering and leaving through a large opening at either end, the one open apears to have collapsed at sometime. The other is clear and you can see some signs of faint light coming from some form of mold growing along the walls. Otherwise there are only two other doorways in the room, both closed.

Satisfied with her inspection of the stairs Cinnabar starts down them, not slowed in the least by using four legs on tools designed for two, and retrieves her crossbow again, keeping it focused downward and across the stairwell just in case something is alive down there too.

Kel'li looks into the depression, even feeling the area with her hand, as far as she can reach whilst staying on the more solid area around it.

Are ye gonna be able ta walk, Bran?  There is genuine concern in Joser's voice.
He looks around to see what ye can, his eyes stopping on the strange skeletons. I won'er what these folks was hidin' from.  Or, where they prisoners?

Bran looked like he was barely still standing, but he gave a pained nod. "Yeah, if we don't run in to any more trouble before I rest..." He stopped and grimaced. "So, first off, that was a stupid thing to say, like inviting trouble to us again." He let out a sigh.

I'm loathe to use healing magic since I don't know if it will work, or if it will return or not but...I am close to unconsciousness."

He shook his head and tried to cast Cure Wounds on himself. He wouldn't be good to the party if he died either.

OOC: Attempting to cast Cure Wounds, assuming he is no longer in danger of falling, heh.

As Cinnabar and Basilisa descend the stairs there is some creaking but the stairs hold. As they get close to the first door it is apparent that the door will not be opened without some effort. The building has shifted enough to wedge it tight. Looking farther down you can make out a set of doors to the left you are fairly certain those doors will lead you to the others. You also see a couple skeletal remains lying on the lower landing.


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As you explore the room you can hear some creaking echoing through the building. The sound seems to be coming from beyond the closest set of double doors. It may be the others or it may be something else. The light from Kel'li's spell slowly fades away.

Bran finished casting the spell, hand still to his holy symbol. The brief glow was muted, more so than usual, and faded quickly. His face was frowning down at the holy symbol. "I do not like this place, this world. The draining of magic is...awful."

And indeed, despite the curative spell just cast, he didn't look that much better really. He grimaced and let out a sigh, but moved in to a position with his weapon and shield readied for whatever might exit those doors.

Rather than waste time on a door they might not need anyways Cinnabar just keeps going down the stairs to what seems like the correct level where she once again examines the door before opening it.

As the light begins to fade away, Joser shrugs off his pack.  I think they was tryin' ta hide here, he says as the sounds of him rummaging through his pack can be heard.  The skeletons.  The people was hidin' out, tryin' to get away from someone.  Or somethin'.
Once he finds what he is looking for, he knows down.  He can be seen momentarily as he attempts to spark a fire on a torch he has standing up, stuck in the rubble.  Finally, one catches, and he leans in to blow it into fire.  Once the torch is lit, he puts away his tinderbox and puts his pack back upon his back.
He takes the torch in his shield hand, and his spear in the other.  Yer magic is'na workin' too good, Bran?  Damn.

It is a bit tense on both sides as the door swings open on protesting hinges. With some relief you are all happy to see that Cinnabar was correct (or at least lucky) in finding an alternate way down.

Somewhere above you, though a distance away, you hear what sounds like another collapse. Apparently the old building is not taking well to being disturb. But after a couple moments everything grows quiet again.

OOC: Going to give you guys a chance to discuss things or investigate for a bit. You can take a short rest or a long rest if you wish, to to recover HP and maybe see if spell slots can be recovered. Or press on.

Relieved to find her allies Cinnabar waits almost reverently while the building makes it's displeasure known, but soon after she assesses their new situation out loud.  ”Now that we know just how unstable the building is I should be able to find us a section that is going to last at least one more night, if nobody does anything stupid I think it is worth the risk to try and rest before we explore anywhere else.”

Kel'li stares down the passage and says, "There is something down there, not big, but something none the less."

This message was deleted by the player at 04:09, Wed 15 Feb 2023.

"If I knew what my spells would do, I would have done something about it already, but there are too many unknowns.  Maybe we should take an overnight rest and set some watches?"

Bran listened to what the others had to say and the spoke up quietly. "While I have magic left in me, the healing magic I attempted was half-strength at best. I am still physically quite damaged and I think a rest before we encounter something else would be wise for me."

Fair 'nuff, he says with a nod of his head.  I'll take tha middle watch, so ya's ken get a full rest.

"I will take last watch, I only need 4 hours to trance then the rest just to study."

While not interrupting the process of the others Cinnabar does find the time to point out a logical inconsistency.  ”If you don't use any of the magic it will be completely useless.  Better to use what you can as efficiently as possible.”

Bran raised an eyebrow at Cinnabar for a moment. And then, while looking directly at her still, said "I'll take the middle watch."

He flashed her a quick smile, however.

I already claimed middle so ya spell slingers could get a full, undivided rest, Joser says to Bran.