At first the slab resists your efforts, but as Tegan and Adeline work together heaving and pushing, it finally begins to slide across the ground. After a couple of minutes hard work, you push the metal out of the way, and look down. The first thing that hits you is the smell. Musty, stale air, filled with the stench of heavy earth, decay and stagnant water. As your eyes adjust you see a broken stone stairway that leads down, it's walls covered in moss, algae or mold. It looks to descend into a cramped, short tunnel, only a few feet long, at the end of which you see a barred door.
Rusted and covered in verdigris, the door looks old, yet still somewhat sturdy. At its bottom right corner however, the metal bars are wrenched and bent outward, as if something pushed it's way out On the ground next to the hole, you see blood stains smeared across the ground and stone as if something, or someone, had been dragged or pulled under it into the darkness beyond.

"Well that isn't ominous and disturbing at all." Adeline muttered sarcastically, looking at the bloodstains leading into the dark pit. She pointed toward the ragged hole in the door and turned to Sasyra. "Reckon that there's your egg, missy. A bit of darkness is good for the soul, so they say, and it's the answer to yon boxes riddle if'n ye're asking me." The bounty hunter shrugged off the thought for later and re-slung her pack while they decided how to proceed.

"I'll volunteer to crawl through if no-one else wants the job. It's that or we tear this door off its hinges. Hahaugh!" Adeline flexed as she laughed at the thought, the plates of her armour clinking softly. Shifting the slab had begun getting her adrenaline up and she appreciated the rush with a toothy grin. Erdan had seen her like this before and knew she'd start pushing for action without reprive if she wasn't held back.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:15, Wed 08 Feb 2023.

"Well, since you were the first to volunteer, I shan't step in to deprive you of the honor of being the first one into the breach, " Tegan replied to Adeline.

If someone else had said such a thing, they might well be suspected of sarcasm. But in this instance, it seemed as if the paladin meant precisely what he was saying.

"As soon as you have cleared the breach, I shall be right behind you," the Half-Elf added.

"Unless, of course, something gobbles you up as soon as you stick your head in . . . in which case, be sure to give a yell," he suggested cheerfully.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:40, Wed 08 Feb 2023.

Sasyra glanced guiltily at the hole and then looked at Adeline. "It doesn't look safe - You couldn't fight back if anything came for you." The orc lady was frustratingly annoying and rude, but Sasyra didn't want her hurt - or in danger. But Tegan's words robbed her of the moment - after the half-elf supported her action, Sasyra felt like she couldn't argue.

Instead, she pulled the battered lamp from the inn out and began trying to light it. "At least lets make sure you can see..." she muttered.

Adeline quickly reacted to Sasyra's genuinely helpful lamp-lighting, waving her hand in a shoo-ing motion. "Quit that. Are you trying to get me killed, girl?. I see well enough without announcing my presence. I'll be fine." The half-orc hefted her shield and nodded at the battered, but sturdy, armament. "She always goes first." Her voice had a hint of pride which turned swiftly to her more customary irritation. "You can light that thing when I give the all clear. Gottit?"

Adeline held Sasyra's gaze just long enough to confirm her understanding, before bending at the knee to look through the dark opening.

OOC:
23:49, Today: Adeline Ashburner rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  Perception.
Using Darkvision out to 60ft.

Erdan remained silent and still as they made short work of the slab and discussed Adeline's descent.

He raised a brow when the orc provided the answer the the riddle - the one he couldn't answer. Darkness...  Sometimes the thought that bounty hunter just liked to surprise him in the most dramatic ways.  The elf's expression turned to concern as his friend started getting pumped up for action.  He only hoped that wouldn't lead to recklessness.

When she denied Sasyra's offer to provide light, he nudged the Fleck gently and then tapped his temple with his staff.  "Orcs and elves see better in the dark than humans," he informed her quietly.  His smile was meant to soften the slight between them.

As Adeline kneeled down and looked through the broken bars, she could see the tunnel continue for around thirty feet before opening up into some sort of a larger, rough hewn room. While she could not make out the opposite wall, she could see a life sized stone statue of a tall, horned man, standing on a plinth about ten feet inside the room.
He seemed, from this distance, to be scuplted as if he was reaching out towards her with one hand, while holding a broken spear in the other.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:18, Thu 09 Feb 2023.

Adeline took a deep, calming breath before getting on her knees and, shield first, crawled through the gap. She got to her feet on the other side, maintaining her shield stance as high as possible whilst keeping a close eye on the corridor ahead. Once upright, she loosed the whip at her belt, its slick, snake-like length falling sinuously to the ground. She twitched the grip, sending the tip snaking forward and back as she started carefully edging forward down the corridor, her senses screaming at the darkness to reveal its secrets.

OOC:
23:03, Today: Adeline Ashburner rolled 6 using 2d20+5, dropping the highest dice only.  Perception w. disadvantage (dim light).

23:03, Today: Adeline Ashburner rolled 16 using 2d20+4, dropping the highest dice only.  Stealth w. disadvantage (armour).

As the holy RNG gives, so it takes away...

As Adeline approaches she see the tunnel looks to open up into a large natural cavern. Rough walls and ceiling, about thirty feet up, over a level stone floor. With no light thus far, it becomes darker and darker, and without darkvision anyone else would find themselves in the pitch dark.

Ahead there statue of the muscled, horned man, with a fiece but noble visage, becomes clearer. Beautifully carved or scuplted, it stands about a foot taller than Adeline. Clad only in a loincloth the statue has one hand extended towards you, palm up, while in the other you see him holdin the top half remains of what looks like a spear of some sort. Behind him you see the rest of the stone weapon lying on the ground, snapped off.

~I don't hear any shouting. Or any sounds of weapon-play on the other side of the door. I suppose that is a good thing,~ Tegan thought to himself.

"Adeline," he called out quietly.

"Do you see a bar or a latch -- some way to open the door from that side?"

~I can crawl through that hole if I have to. But it seems silly, if there is a way to open the door from the inside.~

Stopping briefly to stare in mixed admiration of the craftsmanship and disdain at the waste of time and effort of such an elaborate devotional piece, Adeline sneered and turned her back on the statue, toward the sound of Tegan's voice. She headed back toward the door to get a better look at her side of the door. She checked the door itself for latches or the like, as well as the walls either side in case there was a lever or pulley.

"All quiet this side." she murmered, just loud enough to carry through the door. "Give me a minute. Just checking for a latch."

Sasyra stepped away from the door, using the available daylight to help her light the lantern - less in preparation and more for something productive to do. She wasn't really paying much attention to what she was doing though, keeping an ear out for any sign of commotion.
"If they are in danger, I can't not do my best to save them," she said to herself. "They'd do it for me, I think."

Once lit, the Fleck put away her bow and drew her dagger. The bow wouldn't be much use in the confines of the tunnels. She'd be as likely to shoot Adeline in the back as anything else in the face in the claustrophobic underworld.

There is a latch, a simple metal handle on top of the door, though it seems corroded and covered in rust. It looks like there had been one on the borrtom as well, but it has been destroyed by whatever made the hole.

OOC:
A Strength check or a Thieves tool(Dexterity) check to open it. DC 15.

Spotting the latch, Adeline gripped in firmly and prepared to wrench it free, but then stopped herself, considering the consequences of using brute strength. Putting her weapons aside for a moment, she fumbled in her pack for a touch of armour oil which she applied to the lock and hinges before producing a file and a tiny prybar. She set to work removing rust and working at the aged metal until with a sharp, metallic pop, it came free. Carefully hauling on the door, aware of the bent bars scraping against the door frame, she opened the portal for the others.

The half-orc nodded at the assembled crew and bent to retrieve her armaments. "You might want that lamp now, missy." she said before turning her back and walking back into the gloom toward the statue to take a closer look.

:36, Today: Adeline Ashburner rolled 15 using 1d20+4.  Thieves Tools (open latch).

"Well done, Adeline," Tegan said with a nod as he entered the chamber. He walked over to join the Half-Orc in examining the life-sized statue.

"The Verdant Hunter again," he said. "It seems as if there is imagery of one kind or another depicting him, everywhere we look."

"Excellent craftsmanship," the Half-Elf observed after a moment. "Better than I would have expected from deep forest dwellers."

The door screeches a bit as Adeline forces the rusted hinges to turn, but eventually it opens enough for you all to pass through with no issue.
As you go forward you see the room where the statue sits is indeed a natural cavern, and by the looks of it, it had to be directly beneath the building ruins above. Some of the walls seem to have been worked a bit, to widen the space but it still retains a cavernous feel. Looking around there are two tunnels leading out of the room to the left and right, one on each side.

"You'd be surprised what forest dwellers can do, kinsman." Erdan commented as he followed Tegan in. "Just because there are no streets and sewers, doesn't mean there aren't tools and art."

His amber eyes admired the statue's physique, allowing his magic sight to perceive any auras upon it.  Are you a god, he wondered. Perhaps fey or the charismatic leader of an ancient cult who embellished your prowess?

The way Sasyra talked of him, he was likely believed to be a god in her eyes.

"Hunters need prey," he said absently as he approached the figure. "Blood comes from a kill... Our query is surely dead and we are likely the next to catch his eyes.  Shame we didn't bring an offering like Sasyra suggested."  It was hard to tell if he was talking to his companions or just thinking out loud.

Sasyra holds the torch forth and follows Adeline, Erdan and Tegan down, the yellow glow of the lamp signaling her approach to her cat-eyed allies. The sickly light made the Verdant Hunter's face seem strange, casting deep shadows in the carved lines.

Looking at the statue, Sasyra began examining the base for any inscription. She wondered if, perhaps, she might be able to find some clue as to why the Hunter would be worshiped by those who hid him underground...

Looking around the cavern room, you don't see anything notable beyond the two tunnels that lead out, and the stairway behind you.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:00, Mon 13 Feb 2023.

"There is an inscription here..." she says quietly, using the lantern to read it aloud.

'When the Hunter beckons, the hounds will answer, and the Hunt is called."

The words make her snap her eyes to the upturned palm of the statue, holding the lantern close, lookin for a seam or join in the stone. "I wonder if the hand can be made to beckon - If so, we could perhaps lure whatever is down here into an ambush."

"Hrungh." Adeline grunted. "His spear's broke. Maybe he just needs fixing." Without waiting for recommendations, she bent to pick up the broken haft and looked closer, turning it in her hand to see if the broken end would match that which remainined attached to the statue. She hesitated to offer the stone haft up to the break; whilst she herself believed in none of the superstitions that Sasyra had been bandying around, she yet appreciated that magic traps went well beyond her expertise.

Looking at the spear, Adeline examined the break and the stone it was made from, but nothing seems strange about it. The break is jagged, and looks natural enough, other than the fact that is was broken in the first place.

OOC:
00:47, Today: GM, on behalf of Adeline Ashburner, rolled 15 using 1d20+3.  perception.

As Sasyra and Adeline examined the well-crafted statue, Tegan turned his attention to the floor, searching for the blood trail that he had first noticed near the bottom-right corner of the entrance door.

Having not seen a body, he assumed that whoever or whatever had been dragged -- or had crawled -- through the low opening between the door-bars had most likely gone into the left-hand or right-hand tunnel that he could see leading off of this chamber.

But which one?

---

OOC:
21:14, Today: Tegan rolled 11 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 9.  Perception Check re: Blood Trail.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:38, Tue 14 Feb 2023.

"It's just a statue," Erdan announced. "I doubt its more than an idol, but it does beg the question of who placed it here. This doesn't seem like it was part of the abbey."

He stepped back to allow Adeline and Sasyra to do whatever they were attempting to do and glanced at Tegan. The elf was about to do the same and with the torch light, searching for the trail may be easier even if his darkvision was good enough without.

Erdan also examined the surrounding for signs of the road most traveled, searching for blood or a worn path grooved by repeated traffic.

00:02, Today: Erdan Amakiir rolled 22 using 1d20+3.  Survival Tracking. – 22

As you both look around, Tegan looking for more blood and Erdan for tracks, you have mixed succes. There is no immediately visible blood, but the left tunnel does show sign of use. Small humanoid foorsteps, as well as a faint trail of animal tracks. Canine in nature, they are massive, each one easily the size of your own footprints.