The Colony - Beyond the Doors

The group finds some incongruous bronze doors in the depths of the Silverstream Mine. Perhaps this is the source of the crystal-infested not-zombies?


Start Date: August 22nd, afternoon
Start Status: Do doors, do doors.
Start Location: Silverstream Mine, lower level

Adventuring: Rennard, Jinx, Mendel, Smoke, Zenobe
At the Tulip: Adrienne, Brigg, Hagan, Xon, Aaron

The Turn

Before attempting any of the doors, the party spends some time investigating the hallway they're in. Smoke and Jinx search the east edge of the rectangular hall where they suspect a secret door might lead into the mine, and their cleverness is rewarded. They find a well-constructed secret panel that opens into the old storage area.

A search of the far side of the corridor turns up no additional doors, so the group turns its collective attention to the well-like hole in the floor. A search of the alcove finds nothing of interest. Brigg shines a continual light stone down the opening, which shows a smooth stone shaft (the same gray-green stone as the hall), leading straight down out of sight. Smoke drops a coin down the shaft and is rewarded with a faint *plonk* several seconds later. "Water, I think," she mutters.

The group moves on to the end of the corridor and the doors there. Brigg tries the single east door first. After checking carefully for traps, he easily picks the lock. The small room beyond, just 10 x 10 feet, is similar in appearance to the hallway. There are dusty wooden benches along the north and east walls, each decorated with leaf and vine patterns. There is also a second door in the south wall. It bears the same rune as the other doors but has no lock, just a pull-ring.

"Guess we're going this way," says Brigg. After the others get into position, he tries pulling then pushing the door. The latter works. The area beyond is a fairly large room with an irregular layout. The walls and high, domed ceiling are made of the same gray-green stone as the rest of the complex, and as the group moves forward, their lights illuminate a towering statue on a stepped pedestal in the center of the room. There are two doors aside from the one the party just used, the first on the west side of the room leading north, the second in the south wall. There is another hole/well near the south door. Everything in the room is clean and dust-free.

There is power here. A pervasive sense of restless watchfulness fills each party member's mind as they enter the area and clinging, oppressive warmth creeps across exposed skin. While Rennard detects no evil in the room, it is clear that something knows the party is here.

The stepped pedestal is made from a pale green stone shot through with thin, twisting veins of gold and red that gleam in the dim light. The statue, which is carved from pale marble, is close to 15 feet tall. It is a human (ish) figure in flowing, hooded robes. Its gloved hands hold a long staff made of twisted vines that seem to twist and shift of their own volition. The hood of the robe hangs low over the being's face, completely obscuring its features. Peeling paint covers all exposed surfaces: green with gold trim on the robes and gloves, earth tones on the staff.

Smoke edges around the east side of the statue so she can check out the south end of the room. When she gets past the pedestal, a glowing rune, the same rune that appears on the entry doors, forms in the air in front of the south door and a disembodied voice speaks: "Clemistre! Ka lemaste je magna a duedre hek. Lo, Vetarix, iska tem!" Once the voice ceases, the rune vanishes.


End Date: August 22nd, afternoon
End Status: Oz? Is that you?
End Location: Silverstream Mine, lower level