Immersive Ink

With others now in the room, Desmond gets the courage to begin moving forward. "Think we're OK, but I'd stay outside that ring of stones just yet."

A quick flash of memories dash through his mind - statues turning into fiery exploding gargoyles, tripwires along the floor - and he glances down at the floor to see if he sees any such similar design. At first he silently admonishes himself for being overtly cautious, but then he remembers the pit trap in the hallway and decides if they'd set one trap for intruders, then they might easily have set more.

Desmond takes the torch from Wen, to allow him better use of his bow should he need it, and to provide himself more light for trap-checking and makes his way down the room towards the ramp. He tries to determine if there is space around the outside of the stone circle, or if the stones create a circle at the extremes of that end of the room.

He does NOT enter the stone circle.

| I know you said most of the above is assumed - thieves being thief-like and all - but it'd be boring if I just wrote, "Desmond goes to the end of the room." |

coffee wrote:(Further OOC: Does this sword glow when wielded? I know that some do, but I wasn't sure if this was one of that sort.)

The sword does not glow but, freed from its scabbard, it seems have an unnatural inertia about it, ever leaning toward the great upright hoop...

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ehiker133 wrote:| I know you said most of the above is assumed - thieves being thief-like and all |

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You're still more effective when you actively look. |

Desmond/Mondes takes Wen's torch and the pair of them approach the dais supporting the stone ring cautiously. It is a broad hoop of stone standing upright so that the our heroes are looking directly through the hoop to the stone wall behind.

Desmond/Mondes doesn't find anything amiss with the route up to the structure, but Wen notes right away there are a series of runes graven into the facing surface of the ring, each about the size of his palm and spaced evenly around the hoop so that a score of so of them fit.

By this time the trio have covered about 20ft of the hall, and have approached to within 10ft of the base of the dais.

But aside from the ring, there are no other exits from the room?

Dieter follows his comrades, keeping an eye out for possible threats they may not notice if they're focused on the ring/ramp. He sniffs the air; does he smell anything in particular?

coffee wrote:But aside from the ring, there are no other exits from the room?

None apparent.

coffee wrote:He sniffs the air; does he smell anything in particular?

There is... something. Something vague, just detectable... but unfamiliar. Out of place. What is that..?

Desmond whispers, "What do those runes mean, Wen?" He approaches closer to give the young elf more light to carefully examine them.

Hearing Dieter audibly sniff, Desmond turns to see if his large fighter friend has suddenly caught a cold, but notes he is trying to catch a scent in the air. Desmond and Mondes both begin sniffing, as well, trying to determine what the man smells... Wet dog? Sulfur and brimstone, like when they fought the exploding stone gargoyles? Or is it the faint whiff of pastries, perhaps?

Torben

Torben nods to Ashtad and takes the lead. 'Watch your step...' he says quietly. He will light his lantern and hold it in his left hand, while brandishing his silver tipped spear in his right. Remembering the group's previous foray, he will cautiously make his way back to where they were last and look to find his companions.

Wen would point out the writing on the stone circle. "Runes of a magical nature I think." He would study them from a safe distance to see if he can determine what they say or at least what language they might be. "If this is a portal and suddenly have a dreadful thought, what if Gustave passed thru it.?"

Olaf is following behind, keeping a close and eye and ear to the path already trod. He tenses when he hears sounds and sees light coming from the rear. He relaxes when he sees Torben with a lighted lantern followed by Ashted.

"Welcome reinforcements." Olaf says with a grin then brings the two up to speed, "It seems we've hit a dead end...unless that ring up ahead is some sort of passage out of this chamber."

Noticing Dieter and Desmond/Mondes sniffing the air Olaf frowns and whispers loudly, "What is it do you smell something?"

Desmond/Mondes does some sniffing of his own... there is something of a foreign tang about the air; not the typical cool, damp, underground smell one might expect. Not pastry, not sulphur, not wolf. Something... different.

Meanwhile Wen tries to read the runes; squinting and turning his head side-ways to see the runes rightfully, he reckons them to be some dialect of Old Elvish; possibly a very ancient form. The runes aren't all immediately recognisable, but from those he does comprehend he takes them to be an arrangement of months and seasons.