2. The First Delve

You proceed west for a further 30’ to investigate the passage that branches to the north. However, you find that this side passage only extends for 20’ before terminating at a dead end. From your position in the main corridor, you can see that the wall at the end of the northern passage has a glyph carved into it. Gabbro, Fenwick and Tiberious suspect that the symbol might be magical, but it is not familiar to them and they have no idea as to its intended meaning or purpose.

To the west, the corridor you’ve been following from the second crossroads continues for a further 10’ before opening out into a doorless chamber, the floor of which is littered with broken statues.

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Day 2, 11:10 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Lanhkmer, Thief 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

Swan will step in the room with the broken statues to investigate it. What were the statues of before they were broken?

Lanhkmer is fascinated by the glyph itself, taking all the time required, he actively looks for traps and also for secret doors in the sorroundings of the Glyph.
"Not a dwarven masonry masterpiece, but maybe they (dwarves) will appreciate the infromation about this too"

Swan says while there, "I don't know but it surely ended our movement that way."

Gabbro follows Swan into the western room with the broken statues, uneasy about the possibility of a glyph being a trap. ::Then again:: he thinks, ::Lanhkmer could be right about the dwarves' interest...You're just being paranoid. None of the other traps have been set up in dead-end side passages like that; they want traps to be in the trafficked areas...::

As Swan investigates the statue room, Ricard stands watch near Lanhkmer as he examines the sigil.

Lanhkmer - as part of your search are you planning to touch the glyph, or are you only going to search around it?

Meanwhile, Swan and Gabbro head into the room with the smashed statues. Various low plinths with only feet, ankles and lower legs remaining are arranged around the chamber. The other remnants of the statues are scattered on the floor - a collection of broken limbs, torsos and heads. The statues are a mixed collection, mainly humans, with the odd dwarf and elf, male and female. None of the figures depicted are recognisable to you.

Mapping information for the Smashed Gallery: rectangular room, 20’ x 50’. Swan and Gabbro enter through the eastern wall, 10’ north of the southern wall. There’s a doorless exit directly opposite through which a passageway continues west for 20’ before a flight of steps heads downwards.

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Day 2, 11:10 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Lanhkmer, Thief 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

As he checks for traps, Lanhkmer finds something!

In the first 10’ section of the short northerly corridor, the thief notices a pressure plate on the floor and several small holes in the wall to his left and right.

Now that he has noticed the pressure plate, it is easy for him to stride over it. Will he continue towards the far wall with the glyph in order to inspect it?

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Day 2, 11:20 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Lanhkmer, Thief 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

"Here... don't step on this plate if you don't want to get holed from both sides" the rogue point at the plate on the floor, then at both sides of the wall where the the small holes suggest darts of some sort will be shot out if one is not too cautious.

"now, what do we do about this glyph? D'ya think it will be too much daring to touch it?"

OOC to DM: it's hard for me to resist from touching the glyph, but I'm also concerned of any eldricht danger of course...I'm thinking about it

Fenwick follows Lanhkmer and Ricard toward the glyph, careful to step around the trap as instructed.

"I really want to touch it," she says, her hand drifting idly toward the glyph as she talks until she catches herself and hastily snatches it back. "But I don't think we should. I can't read it or sense its type of magic--but logically, just based on its placement, if I were going to put a big flashy magical sigil in a dead-end hallway, it'd do something like serve as a lock or a gateway that opens for the right people and punishes the wrong ones."

She shrugs. "I'm totally making that up though, and I'm really curious. But probably our best bet is to just ask someone if they know what it does, since it's a pretty obvious landmark. Like if we ever find those kobolds that live around here."

As the others consider what to do, Fenwick pulls a pen from her pack and makes a careful copy of the design on a piece of parchment.

"For what it's worth, I wouldn't touch it."

Ricard offers his two copper's worth of advice and then steps a pace away from the mouth of the corridor Lanhkmer is working in.

Swan stands patiently awaiting the investigation of the glyph and such before she headed off to the broken statue room.

Tiberious makes his way around the trap and takes a look at the glyph. It could be a protection glyph. I have heard of wizards using them to keep people out.

He turns and looks back down the hall. The trap would stop those making their way towards this wall. Would they set a protective glyph on the wall as well? I would hazard a guess that what ever is behind this wall is quite valuable to someone.

Tiberious inspects his map. the room of dust and rubble could butt up against whatever is behind here. The room of broken statues may also do the same. I recommend we look for secret doors in those rooms.

Hearing Lanhkmer mention the trap, Gabbro nods to himself. ::Ah, of course. The glyph isn't the trap; it's the lure to draw people into the trap. That explains why it wouldn't be in a highly-trafficked area.:: Confident that they'll be done with the trap in moments, Gabbro turns back to the room of broken statues...and the stairs!

Gabbro comments to Swan: "Well, this looks like a better way down to level 2 than the well, huh?" He grins, and then examines the floor to see if there's any sign that people come through here frequently, like any path cleared in the rubble and dust. "I wonder if this is the way to the acolytes' quarters..."

Being careful not to touch the glyph, Lanhkmer searches the wall around it (this takes 1 turn). He finds nothing.

Gabbro - the path to and from the stairs seems reasonably well travelled - at least as well as any other corridor in the dungeon you’ve encountered so far.

Mapping information for the stairs - without actually descending them, you can see that they travel down westwards for 10’ before arriving at a flat (no stairs) corner section. They then continue down in a northerly direction for 10’ before descending into the depths below.

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Day 2, 11:30 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Lanhkmer, Thief 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

As Gabbro surveys the stairs, he hears rattling and clanking sounds echoing from below. The noises are getting louder, so whatever is creating them is ascending the steps!

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Day 2, 11:30 am
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Lanhkmer, Thief 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 7/7
Swan, Fighter 1: 5/6
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

Swan says, "Nice that we don't have to do the well now. I was thinking we go deep south to try to find the Korner or check out the rubble room to see if there is a way to bypass the portcullis? Might be some treasure more on the other side of the portcullis."

Tiberious searches the wall of the room with the broken statues. He focuses on the northernmost section of the eastern wall.