Exploring the Borderlands

[badams30]

After our unexpected break, here is a recap from day one, and a fast forward to the present. Just a reminder, the map thread has the overall map of New Gornia, and there is a key for each locale. The map of the keep has notable locations on it, and the detail map of the area around the keep has comments from your cartographer friend, Wilfred.

Your band started your journey venturing from Gornia with the promise of a charter from the King to assist the Duke in exploring and taming the wilds of the newly expanded civilized lands. You set out as caravan escorts toward the wild known as The Borderlands, and met Sharon at a kobold ambush site, defeating the kobolds and making your way to the Keep. Once at the Keep, you made some friends, including a jovial priest named Brother Knute - who joined your party, and Wilfred, an old cartographer employed by the Duke to document the area. He found some interesting locations, and shared them with you (along with his comments) on a detailed map.

You ventured to the prospector camp and met the eccentric leader of the prospectors, Rudy. He didn't have much information to share, but was friendly and welcoming. You ventured on to meet a Dryad whose tree was being accosted by orcs. Killing the orcs you made a new ally of the Dryad, and you continued on to the ruined Keep. The keep apparently had been occupied by a small band of unknown men, and you found the corpse of a severely wounded fighter in his room. Exploring further, you encountered some friendly goats and eventually the only resident of the keep, Curg - an old and apparently dying Ogre. Applying some healing magics to his festering wound, you found Curg to be a surprisingly cordial and wise ogre, and after dining with him, he informed you that he is making his way back to the mountains to die in his ancestral home. He is planning on leaving the keep in the coming day(s). Prior to deciding on your next course of action, you have awoken on a crisp morning and have begun to explore the chapel of the keep - which seems to be in remarkable condition compared to the rest of the place.

And back to the chapel:

[badams30]

Further examination of the chapel reveals:

The pews are plain but very sturdy in construction. They are dusty and well worn, but don't appear to have been used in a long time. The columns are made of the same stone as the keep, but appear to be in better condition than the keep's walls and other rooms. Cloak hooks are located on the walls next to the far end of each pew (but all hooks are empty)

Scrags and Imric cautiously advance toward the back of the chapel and the shadowy area where the statues are located. As they reach the area where the chapel curves into a semi-circle and the floor rises up about a foot, 4 previously unnoticed torches in the wall (evenly spaced along the back wall of the chapel) suddenly come to life - glowing with a bluish flame. There is no apparent source of the ignition of the torches. As the torches illuminate the room, you can clearly see the rest of the area.

The statues are identical - a muscular human with piercing gaze, long hair and a commanding stance clad in leather armor with a longbow in one hand, and an outstretched hand with an open palm, face up. At the foot of each statue is a small brass bowl, each contains some dust covered coins.

The altar is carved from a huge piece of wood, and has been polished to a smooth shiny gloss. A large circular stone basin approximately 2 foot tall rests upon the altar in the center. It appears empty.

ACTIONS PREVIOUSLY DECLARED:
Sharon inspects the altar for compartments or dried blood: Sharon finds a poorly concealed compartment at the back of the altar. It is a door of wood that has no apparent handle or way to open. Sharon (NPC)
examines further, and she finds that by pushing gently on the door, it pops open, revealing a velvet bag inside. She says quietly "Hey, we've got a bag in here."

Imric examines the statues: and finds them to be unremarkable, but likely a few hundred years old.

Scrags takes a coin from each bowl and places it in the palm of each statue. As he does, the torches flare up a bit more for a moment, and you hear a gurgling sound from the bowl on the altar. and each of you feel an odd sensation - almost like a calming aura, that comes over each of you for a moment, then passes.

Knute examines the statues, (WIS Check) and while not exactly identical, the statues seem to be a variation of Uller - the god of hunting, outdoorsmen/rangers and nature. While not a dead ringer, it's very similar.

Actions?

[kipper]

Rill (Halfling) has been loitering near the entrance, but at Sharon's words he runs over to where she's inspecting the altar.

"Well, no use leaving it here for bandits to find, we should take it. For safe-keeping I mean."

[Miraje]

Kob

Kob will continue to keep watch for anything/anyone that might arrive while the others search. There is obviously something magic going on here and that can be troublesome at times. Better let the others deal with it and keep his mind on physical challenges.

[greyarea]

Imric checks the bowl. Try that coin thing again, Scrags. I heard something here and I want to see what happens when you do that.

[merias]

Imric checks the bowl. Try that coin thing again, Scrags. I heard something here and I want to see what happens when you do that.

Scrags obliges.

[jcftao]

Brother Knute watches with interest as Scrags places more coins in the palm of the statue.

[tumblingdice]

Rill (Halfling) has been loitering near the entrance, but at Sharon's words he runs over to where she's inspecting the altar.

"Well, no use leaving it here for bandits to find, we should take it. For safe-keeping I mean."

Whatever you say, Tasslehoff.

Sharon hands the bag to Rill with a smile. "Well, open it'" she says to the halfling. "Go on, now."

[kipper]

Sharon hands the bag to Rill with a smile. "Well, open it'" she says to the halfling. "Go on, now."

Rill opens the bag and looks inside...

[badams30]

Inside the velvet bag Rill finds two small glass vials with faintly glowing pinkish liquid contents. (based on Brother Knute's experience with healing poultices and potions, he recognizes them as potions of healing)

Scrags places more coins in the palm of the statue, but no noise comes from the bowl. However, when someone peers into the large bowl, you see that the previously empty bowl is now half full of what appears to be water.

Kob stands guard, looking for any signs of trouble. He sees nothing, just the peaceful dusty chapel.

Birger examines the water, taking a small taste by sticking his finger in it. He says in his emotionless tone "I'm not certain, but I'd say this water is sanctified." (if that is the case, the bowl contains perhaps 3-4 flasks of holy water.)

You see nothing else in the chapel, the torches still glow with the magical flames, but that's about it.

Actions?