Godsday, Readying 11th, 595 cy (cont.)
The party traveled down the remaining unexplored hallway to discovered a set of stairs going down, flooded by dark water. With great reluctance, they entered the area, finding a very aggressive water elemental making its lair in what appeared to be a shower room.The group quickly dispatched the creature, and set about trying to unclog the drains that kept the chamber flooded. While working at this, they were attacked by the undead remains of the a former Seeker, now a vicious ghoul. Searching its remains, it bore an expensive gold ring with the symbol of the Seekers (200g).
The group finally managed to unclog the drains somewhat, allowing about half the water to drain. Able to breath, they finished exploring the chambers adjoining the showers, and discovered a small catch of coin (38 gold, 2 plat, and 55 silver) and a tarnished by fully functional sword (shortsword +1), which Bolero kept just in case they needed it. They also found the missing red lantern. Excited, they returned to the sarcophagus chamber.
Placing the red lantern on the chain, the group moved the sarcophagus towards the blue hall, which contained the tunnel to the howling face, and used light spells on all of the lanterns. When all the lanterns were lit, the room was bathed in a multicolored flickering light, causing disorientation but little else. When they climbed their way to the chamber, rigging a harness to pull Rowdy up, the face was gone and a hallway beyond was revealed.
Entering the hallway, they discovered a pit filled with orange sized iron spheres, creating an irregular floor. Spanning the pit was a foot wide petrified stone bridge, and along the walls were holes cleverly hidden in the geometric designs that matched the size of the iron spheres, and a large metal door that again was emblazoned with the symbol on the sarcophagus. Ash made his way across the pit, easily dodging the spheres that shot out as he crossed. A disembodied voice cheered him on, and the noise attracted a monstrous grick hidden beneath the spheres. After parlaying with the voice, it revealed itself-the ghost of a teenage boy, his eyes frightening and his neck twisted at an odd angle as if broke-and promptly took possession of Ashbourn.The boy told them his name was Alastor Land. He had run away from home after his father had died, and hid in the Whispering Cairn. He made it past all the traps and into this chamber only to fall off and break his neck. Now his guilt for abandoning his family had kept his spirit from resting. Beyond the door, he said, was a chamber of strange carvings and a pillar of air, but the only way to open the door was on the other side of the wall, making it impossible for them to proceed. He had seen many adventureres enter the chamber and attempt to get passed, only to die or leave in frustration. If they returned his remains to his family, Alastor promised to open the door for them to the chamber beyond.
Without hesitation, Bolero jumped into the pit and attacked the grick. After it was slain, the boy guided the group to his remains. With some additional searching, they also found some coins (47 gold, 7 silver, 1 plat), a rusty longsword, and a suit of masterwork banded mail, which Bolero put on.
