Chapter 48
Winded and catching their breath after the encounter with the zealous knights, the adventurers look around the room. Similar to the other one, the stream floats through, from the northeast corner to an exit in the southern wall. The torches on each wall illuminate the chamber, showing it to be empty other than the corpses littering the floor.
Always prepared to take advantage of a situation, Dolor searches the unmoving bodies for any valuables or information. The plate mail is finely made, even thought it’s plain and nondescript, as are their swords. “These zealots are bankrolled by somebody, or some thing.”
Looking closer at the leader, the rogue discovers a key attached to a cord around his neck. “I wonder what this opens?” Continuing his investigation, Dolor discovers that the man’s boots are unlike the rest of the warrior’s armor; they’re ornately engraved with a swirling design that resembles clouds or, perhaps, wind in movement. “And these boots are unique, as well. Do you want to take a look, Bilwin?”
The cleric moves closer to the deceased leader’s body, bends to the floor, and inspects the pair of boots closely. “You’re right, Dolor, these are special.” He closes his eyes and concentrates for a few more seconds.
“They’re Boots of Striding! Oh, whoever wears them can jump three times higher and farther. How fun!” Looking at the group around him, Dolor, Mond, and Grindlefoot gesture for him to take them.
Gustaf asks, “What about the key, is there anything magical about it?” Grasping it with his hand, Bilwin replys, “No, just a key. But I bet it unlocks adventures of some sort!”
Everyone is tired and wounded from the battle, plus they’re uncertain how long they’ve been traversing the temple’s interior. Mond suggests that they take a long rest to recuperate—and he can regain his spells.
Long rest….
Settled in next the stream, close to its exit from the room on the southern wall, Grindlefoot begins to stir and casually takes in their surroundings more closely. Nothing appears unusual, it’s a basic underground room with stone on all four sides, ceiling, and floor. Well, a floating stream could be considered unusual, but then again, their group’s definition of normal seems to be expanding. The halfling rests one hand on the wall behind him, balancing himself as he stands up, and feels a crack underneath his fingers. Turning to look closer, he traces the crack upwards and then downwards, realizing that he’s looking at a hidden door.
“I think I found another way out.” He pushes on the stone, but it doesn’t move.
Bilwin comes to the halfling’s side and with a grin, “Let me have a look. I know a thing or two about hidden stone doors.”
The dwarf finds a seam in the stone and begins tracing it, upward, along the top, and downward on the other side. Bilwin’s hands begin exploring the stone wall around his waist level, feeling for something that stands out. He quickly finds what he’s looking for, pulls the deceased leader’s key from his pocket, inserts it into an imperceptible opening, turns it, and then pushes open the stone door. Without looking at anyone else, the dwarf moves forward into the dark passageway. “Let’s go!”
Grindlefoot murmers, “No breakfast?”
It goes for 70 or 80 feet, turns to the left (eastward) and ends in 50-60 feet at another stone door. This one has a handle on the inside, which Bilwin uses to pull it open and sticks his head on the other side of the opening.
“What do ya know! This is the passage between the kayak room and the ziggurat. It must be hidden from the other side, which is why we didn’t notice it. Probably also needs the key from that side. Clever!”
The group enters the passage and takes several minutes to discuss their options. Bilwin wants to return to the floating stream for another ride, or two or three. Dolor reminds them that the sphinx was guarding two other passageways and they have two more weapons to find, Wave and Whelm.
The first, called Wave, requires battle
With the beast in the boiling bubble
‘Cross cavern vast, where the chain-links rattle
Lies Whelm, past water-spouts double.
Thanks to Gustaf’s map, the adventurers make their way back to the sphinx. When they reach the frictionless room, Grindlefoot Wild Shapes into a giant spider, scitters across the ceiling while leaving a length of butt-yarn for the others to hold onto as they traverse the slick floor between the deadly pits. They try not to think about its origin while they hold tightly to the webbed rope.
“I have an idea,” says Dolor when they reach the hallway of fiery heat. “Give me everything of yours that’s made of metal and I’ll take it with me into the djinni plane, where Fenseck lives. Whatever object I turn into, someone can carry it through that passage.”
Nodding in agreement, they all begin to remove metal objects from their persons and packs. Handing Tempest Edge over to the tiefling, Gven quietly says, “Don’t worry, we’ll be reunited soon, my heart’s blade.”
Holding all of their stuff, Dolor suddenly transforms into a small metal ring that drops to the floor and bounces three times before coming to a rolling stop at Grindlefoot’s feet.
“Looks like I’m carrying Dolor.” With a grin, “Does that make me the ring bearer?”
Knowing that the metal ring will become too hot to hold, he attaches it to a short length of rope and drags it in the inch of water that covers the floor. They’re all sweating profusely by the time they reach the end, but it’s bearable this time, without their metal weapons and tools resting against their skin amplifying the heat.
As Grindlefoot says, “What do we do now,” Dolor reappears with their equipment. Driven by her obvious attachment to the magical weapon, Gven immediately reaches for Tempest Edge.
The group reaches the juncture of three passageways and the sphinx, who cooly comments, “Most don’t make it back. Nay, no one has ever made it back from one of the halls. You must be,” and he rolls his eyes for them all to see, “mighty adventurers.”
“Indeed, my feline friend! They call me Bilwin the Magnificent for a reason! Have no doubt, we shall also retrieve Wank and Phlegm, forthwith!”
Dolor coughs, “you mean Wave and Whelm.”
“Yes, yes, exactly!” And without further discussion, the dwarven cleric moves down the passageway to the right, northeastward.
They can see that the hallway goes for a similar length as the one they previously took, to the left of the sphinx. Dolor is walking slowly because of the knee-high water covering the floor and at the halfway point the tiefling notices the water’s surface area is covered with a slimy green residue. Careful of traps, Dolor tears a small piece of leather from his pack and tosses it on the residue. It begins to bubble and sizzle, emitting smoke as it dissolves into nothingness.
“That’s a problem. Any ideas for how to get past this ten-foot section of acidic slime?”
Rasing his hands, Bilwin casts a beam of light at the area of water and the sludge disappears. “The radiant properties of a Hanseath-inspired beam of light should never be underestimated. And beer, never underestimate the power of beer.”
The group continues through the passageway and it bears right, heading directly eastward, then comes to a right turn about 50 feet later. As they approach the right turn, they pass a hallway to their left that ends in darkness. Before checking the passageway ahead of them, they decide to investigate the one to their left, northward. They walk for another 60 feet, and come to a wooden door. Dolor opens it cautiously, encountering no resistance or traps, to find a rectangular room, about 20 feet deep by 40 feet wide. In the northwest corner, the rogue sees five flesh golems, each with a number on their chest: 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13.
As one entity, the golems turn to look at the group and chant, “One of us does not belong with the others, choose the correct one and we’ll let you pass.”
Before anyone can react, Dolor says, “Nine.” The golem with 9 on its chest says, “I serve,” and the others sit down.
Dolor turns to the others and shrugs his shoulders, “It’s the only one that isn’t a prime number.”
Investigating the room further, they see a door on the north wall directly across from the one they entered. Curiosity driving him, Grindlefoot quietly opens the door and passes through to investigate what lays beyond. Within ten feet of the door a staircase leads upward, into another short hall that continues northward and ends at a turnstile. It blocks the complete passageway and only turns one direction, which will prevent them from returning this way.
The halfling returns to the group, “I think we should investigate that other hallway to the south before going this way. There’s a complex-looking turnstile that looks like it will prevent us from coming back this way.”
The group returns the way they came and turns east at the hallway. The golem follows closely behind Dolor, who continues to lead their way. In ten feet, Dolor takes a right turn and moves toward another wooden door at the end of the passage, 70 feet in front of him. When he reaches it, the tiefling opens the door and turns to the golem, “Wait here with the others.”
The room is square, 30 feet along each wall, and appears to be empty. Dolor continues into the room, with Grindlefoot and Bilwin behind him. Mond whispers to Gven, “I’ll guard the door with Gustaf and the golem.” She nods in acknowledgement and follows the dwarf into the dark chamber.
As soon as the half-orc crosses the door’s threshold it slams shut, closing them off from Mond, Gustaf, and the golem. The ceiling shimmers in iridescent colors and disappears, revealing nine glass globes hanging from chains that fade away into the darkness above them. The globes are silver and opaque, roughly two feet in diameter, and hanging within their reach.
Turning to the door behind her, Gven unsuccessfully tries to open it. She can’t hear anything from the other side, but she notices a keyhole. Looking around the room, and then at the others, “Guess we have yet another puzzle. Great.”
Outside the room, Mond carefully inspects the door, looking for any way to open it and join the others. Mond plops down on the floor next to the golem, “Suppose this is a good time to update my map.” Oddly, the golem peers down at the small archaeologist and appears to be watching him draw.
