Episode 2

Though Ryhim speaks with the man in the cage, there is no sign of interaction. The crazed man does not respond and seems to be seeing only the haunts in his own mind.

Iasu peers down the short tunnel hall. The light is dim, but it is not pitch black ahead. A distant edge of firelight glows. There is a threshold at the end, an opening into the Chamber of the Pit for sure.

Iasu's feels his own senses heightening. The hairs are standing up on the back of his neck - his whole body bracing for dread of something that is unbearable and overwhelming.

At the very end of the short descending tunnel, there is something in the air. A disturbance, or something floating. It is small, not yet clear.

A part of Iasu tells him not to approach. He knows what is ahead and has heard of the frightening effects of The Pit.

He sees Elam pressing on.

Iasu has to commit to keep moving.

Require Action, All who are moving from the Séance Chamber towards the Chamber of the Pit:

WIS Save

Iasu presses on.

Elam looks back at him. The swordsman's face is set stern. He glances back slowly at the others behind and then turns back to the front, leading the way down the descent and reaching a last flat plane that resets to move forward into the next room.

Iasu feels like things are moving in slow motion. It is as if he is floating and also heavy at the same time.

He sees that the floor converts again, a shift from natural cavern back to very very old tiles at this level floor. The threshold of the next room is expertly cut rock.

Now Iasu can see more clearly what was blurry before.

Chains. He sees chains hanging ahead, in the next room.

Slowly swaying. Only very slowly moving, as if there is a light draft.

There are small fires somewhere ahead, just around both corners perhaps, but Iasu is not yet through the entryway. Elam is right there at the transition.

Ryhim moves across the room, away from the caged man, intent on falling into the line with the others moving down the east descending tunnel.

As he begins down the slope though, an awful dread overtakes Ryhim. His mind is racing. His senses are flooding over him. His own heartbeat is pounding in his ears now. His own breath is distracting him it is so loud.

He can hear voices. Words. Sliding and distorted words that are terrifying.

Ryhim is frozen with fear. He cannot move and stops in the short descent between the two chambers. Ahead of the bull and Thorn, but behind Bryn, Kray, Iasu, and Elam in the lead.

Kray sees Iasu's and Elam's face turn to skulls with glowing eyes. He sees snakes of smoke wisp through the tunnel. He looks back to see Bryn and the others behind him appear like gaunt skeletal corpses walking.

But Kray knows that these are hallucinations. He is experienced enough and he had been warned enough about a mental assault. He focuses his mind and consciously tries to clear his head and wash away the illusions.

Kray has Disadvantage Ability Checks for 30 seconds (5 Rounds)

As Thorn makes the descent he feels the edges of his mind and senses being tampered with. He hears whispers of voices that he is unsure of whether they are real or imaginary. He feels like his hearing and sense of touch is being elevated unnaturally somehow.

But he recognizes that these are mental manipulations and is able to keep his wits about him. He moves forward seeing that at least Ryhim is not fairing so well. The Sarceran has stopped in the downward sloping tunnel. When Thorn goes to move around him, he sees that Ryhim's face is frozen in a look of terror and his body is shuddering with fear.

"Turn back, Elam. Your death is certain now, but torment is your fate if you enter here."

The voice rolls through the tunnel. It is the tone of whisper, but heavy and loud. On the edges of the word is interference – other whispers, unintelligible. It is as if unknown messages are attached to the words and distorting them, making them sound something like a human voice, but perhaps something beyond human.

Aside from that, even stranger – the words are in Otessite. Jeresians and Danneins can recognize that the words themselves are words that they do not know, yet they understand their meaning now. Or is it perhaps they are hearing their own native language spoken? The whole transmission is a puzzle, certainly another intrusion of the mind.

"Turn away, you foreigners. You can still escape with your lives, but not for long." Another message in the unnerving distorted translation.

And immediately followed by a terrible buzzing series of dark, mind-bending words. You nearly buckle from a flash of weakness and nausea.



note="Oxbox"] Bryn sees wards, sigils, marks, writing everywhere. On the walls. The ceiling. Floating in the air.

The last message bursts through like a spear to the brain. "Your intellect is too weak. You cannot claim this chamber. The Stone will never yield to you."[/note]

DM Control WIS Saves for Bull Maeriks and Bryn.

Tiered success targets at DC 10 and DC 16.

The bull takes up most of the width of the short descending tunnel, nearly all of the center which has the flat natural stair path.

Thorn tries to break through to Ryhim with little effect. The Sarceran looks over, but stares back at the bottom of the tunnel and remains immobile.

The bull pushes forwards slowly. Not wanting to fall too far behind his friends moving on below, the bull nudges against the new traveler who has stopped on the stair.

Ryhim is bumped forward, startled a bit perhaps. But then he finds that his feet can move forward, though he still fights against the urge to withdraw.

Mechanics on advancing into the Chamber of the Pit

Kray has a short term Disadvantage on Ability Checks (5 Rounds initially, down to 4 Rounds Remaining)
Ryhim can Move normally now, but has Disadvantage on Ability Checks, Attack Rolls, Saves (5 Rounds initially, 4 Rounds remaining).


DM-directed RETCON: DM-controlled Bryn gave Ryhim 3 arrows back in the day when they were both pulling security while Thorn, Kray, Elam chopped down the burning Snake Door.

note="Oxbox"] Bryn is getting more clarity now as he reads these symbols all around him.
He believes that if he can get into the Chamber of the Pitt, and has some time to read the sigils, will be able to take control of the room. He should be able to gain control of The Irons (the edimmu-possessed hanging chains), The Stone, The Vault, and The Pit.
Bryn realizes now that the others cannot see all of the writing he can. The signs say it all. They tell the secrets. If this sorcerer Suter-Set is not gifted enough to read these signs that are all around him, then perhaps he is not as powerful as people say.
Bryn feels a yearning to see Suter-Set, to witness his power and assess it, to size him up and see just how capable he is. Bryn might be more powerful than this guy, but maybe not. Bryn will have to see him and see his magic to find out.
[/note]