Drakk says "Unfortunately I can't quite make out what the spell is telling me, it's all jumbled. I suspect it's beyond the scope of the spell I used, but I have a few other things I can try. (Drakk casts Moments Brilliance Twice to try and discern if he knows any info on this door or the ward magic used) "Hmm not getting anything from these either, just goes to show I need more books, I never do know enough. What are you thinking we should do Izema? Linus did want to get in here, he could possibly help us? However we don't know why he wants in so it's a gamble. There could be some powerful beings down the stairs and we may not be able to kill them alone. What do you guys think? Should I fetch Linus?"
Drew says, "So...the situation we are in is this: we are standing before a gateway into something like hell, and we don't know what lurks below, and we have a very powerful asset that could possibly help us, but who also might be evil.....am I understanding this right?"
not might, "is" evil. by their nature the undead and death knights are evil the proses that goes into making one leaves no doubt of this matter. also gate way into hell? no just a pit with something dark in it.
As the conversations unfold Ohmen lifts his wrist up, seconds later the bird Wisdom materializing upon it as though appearing from thin air. Having returned the raven trails off into murmurs of what it had seen, the tunnel, the dread, the sensation of not being alone. However, upon hearing the name of the death knight it speaks out in a loud, quickly spoken voice: "I know much of the unliving. And it would be unwise to place your life in the hands of one who has none at all.. Upon walking the forest path, is it you whom stops to check the ground for ants before stepping? I think not.” Nodding undoubtedly to Wisdom, Ohmen interjects “The bird here speaks truth. We shouldn’t lend him our trust. Not yet. He has awaited the day this door opens, for what reason I know not, but I fear it certainly doesn’t have our best interests in mind.” “Im with Izema. As he says, there may be little more to this passageway than a darkened tunnel within which malice has been left to fester, unchecked for years uncounted - and there is only one way to rid ourselves of this evil made manifest, to burn it out in fury, fire and steal.” Ohmen holds high his staff, shining it down the passage before taking a handful of steps, motioning Izema, Shrio and Urk to take lead. As he steps near Ohmen lifts up a hand toward Urk's face, the changeling's eyes rolling behind the shadow which bathes the wizards face as he chants - “Syy laz. Hyir laz. Seyic laz - alv mot wmidd klas laz, vorv uo mot clasw laz, mot wmidd fyir laz.” (Infernal - See not. Hear not. Speak not - And he shall Know not, and if he knows not, he shall Fear not. ) *Ohmen Casts *Protection from Evil* onto Urk - https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/p/protection-from-evil/ Likewise, the changeling then vies for the groups attention before lifting high his staff - his speech this time not in murmurs, but in shouts - cold and defiant in their tone, his words sharp and inspiring as he focuses on Izema “Drakk. If your spell wont tell you, then I will - We shall lay these beasts low, we shall drive them into the mud and dirt they were born from. We shall know victory - a victory not just in their defeat, but victory in their complete and utter destruction! We shall cleanse their work and undo their evil. We shall destroy every trace of their existence and from forth that defeat they shall never recover!” “Yaf wmidd kytapy iw wzyyd, xe paflziul za vyoh zmy talwfpulq wyi, il ijidiltmy suzmul smutm lazmulq wmidd wzilv. Lyz zmyp pary zmil clas hafr ofrh, dyz zmyp ziwzy uz. “ (Infernal - You shall become as steel, a mountain to defy the consuming sea, an avalanche within which nothing shall stand. Let them more than know your fury, let them taste it.) *Ohmen Casts *Herosim* onto Izema - https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/h/heroism/ “Lead the charge, and know I'll be ready behind you:” Ohmen motions for the group to press down into the darkness, the light from his staff pushing back the shadows within which his words now echo.
Drakk mumbles to himself nervously before saying "All I'm saying is that Linus seemed pretty nice before, and he could have just killed us for not opening the door in the first place. If he really was evil why let us live if we wouldn't give him what he wants? I've read of Liches and Linus doesn't exactly seem like your average Lich. But anyways if you guys don't want to ask for his help, I suppose we can try to kill whatever is down there ourselves. Let's just hope we can kill it.....
as izema starts his decent he calls over his shoulder. "evil does not mean stooped friend. if it did heliax would not be known as a dark empire and masters of plots and schemes huny catches more fly's and all that. also he isn't a litch he is a death knight." so saying izema leads the party into the depths
Giving an understanding nodd to Drakk, Ohmen speaks to the Kobold tying to raise his spirits before the descent “I understand wholeheartedly where you are coming from, but from my past I have been given much knowledge of schemes and plots, and think it unwise that we should place our lives in the guidance of some eternal being, for now at least. The lake stretches on for miles below the surface of ice, and first impressions are not always guided by the best of intentions. - Don't worry, we need not rely on hope for this battle, but our will and steel. Ready your wand and tongue and we will burn out this evil together.”
Shiro claps Drakk on the shoulder. "We will not be found wanting, my friend." Moving past and to the fore with Izema, Shiro draws his sword, readies his spells and gathers his will. We will bring the dawn, he thought to himself.
Drakk braces himself and tries to hold back his fear as they press forth into the darkness below. Uttering the incantation, Drakk tries to detect any nearby magic so that the group doesn't walk into a magical rune (Casts Detect Magic Cantrip). He hopes that they will be able to face whatever for lurks below...
Nodding to each other, Shiro and Izema ready their gear and set off down the stairs. For about, oh, seven steps or so. Before they realize what has happened, there is a loud 'click' sound. Caught completely off-guard, the pair find themselves suddenly tumbling down the stairs as the steps FLATTEN OUT and turn into a steep slide! Both warriors manage to use their training to soften the impacts as they bounce off of the first two corners. Skidding to a stop about sixty feet down the staircase, they hear a voice echoing up the shaft in an archaic dialect of Celestial... Izema understands what it says, Shiro does not... Thanks to your acrobatic skills, you take no damage from the fall. Several moments pass as Shiro and Izema regain their feet. Behind them there is a soft clicking and ratcheting sound as the stairs reset themselves back into the staircase configuration.
Upon hearing the sound of the cold “Click” Ohmens reflects immediately surge into action. How had he been so foolish not to check for traps… Without hesitation the wizard's hand suddenly springs out, stopping those behind him from pressing on as he looks into the darkness, Shiro and Izema’s struggle drowned out by the noise of mechanics and grinding gears as the stairs ahead straightened out into a ramp, upon which both now slid, having long since lost their footing. Watching, Ohmen pushes away his thoughts of both slight horror, and disappointment soon to turn to frustration for his inability to anticipate such threats before shouting to those behind “KEEP YOUR FOOTING, THE STAIRS ARE TRAPPED! IZEMA, SHIRO, HOLD FAST DOWN THERE!” However, the changeling soon finds his words being over-echoed by the cold tones of Celestial tongue echoing from further down the chamber, In response to which Wisdoms deer-skull covered face and large feathered wings shiver from forth invisibility, the bird clutching to the corridor as the raven relays the meaning in an alarmed tone…
"Peth morí! Are you alright shiro?" Izema stands and dusts himself off. "Not much of a trap if all it can do is drop us down and taunt us. Still embarrassing"
Taking a loud sigh of relief Ohmen peers down to see the two of them clamber back to their feet amidst a cloud of dust and debris. "Well... That could have been far far worse. Everyone, from here on forth, keep your eyes out." "Foolishness finds no clemency in such places." Wisdom likewise mutters, echoing back Ohmens statement. Giving a nod the wizard continues pressing forward albeit at a now sluggish pace, watching his steps with an intensity unparalleled.
Azaphor's growl in his mind echoes Shiro's own. "The only thing hurt, my friend, is my pride." Shiro shook his head. Not checking for traps?! In a sinister hallway?!?!? A faint blush appeared on his face. Word had better not get around about this... Catching Izema's eye, he nods his readiness and pushes his senses out to the greatest degree that he can for any other traps. As he edged forwards, he cursed himself. There was no way they had the element of surprise now...
Brushing past the mage, Drew inspects the stairs carefully, but frowns. He knows there is a trap, knows about where it will hit, but cannot find the trigger. Ohmen and Widsom, however, are a little more lucky. As the mage examines the stairs with Drew, Wisdom hops around and pecks at the riser above the stair, drawing Ohmen's attention to it. As the trap was apparently meant to keep something below from coming up, it was designed to trigger when someone struck the riser, not the stair tread! It is a moments' work to mark the trigger without tripping it. But where there is one trap there may be others...
Down on the landing, 60 feet below Ohmen and Drew, Shiro gets his bearings and takes a good look around... and cringes inside. The landing he and Izema are on is bracketed by another pair of traps, one back the way they came, and one heading down. The downwards one looks like another slide trap, but he can't find the trigger. The upwards one, which they somehow missed on the way down, is some kind of attack trap. Judging by the holes in the walls, this one should shoot out darts or something? You're not sure.
Shiro's hand flashes out to stop any movement forwards from Izema and points to the traps that he has spotted.
After Ohmen and Wisdom help find the trigger, Drew carefully makes his way past it without triggering it again. After he passes the stair, he is very alert for more of those slide traps.