A closer look, up close and personal, traps
Subject The alter
Salix will join Surin in checking out the Altar. (Please use any knowledge checks that apply.)
From: Mark
Subject a closer look
As Ragnar and Harp take care of the wounded, Salix, Surin and Allistair move a bit closer to the wooden alter. When they get about 15 feet from it Allistair stops. "This is close enough. Let's see if this thing is magical." He chants the cantrip of detecting magic and concentrates on the alter. Already prepared for the overpowering prescence of the Testing Grounds, Ally squints at the alter, taking in the different auras in the room. It goes quickly. "No, I don't think that there is any magic involved with the alter. There is a slight tinge to it, but I would bet that that is from just being in this place. Hell, I bet we'll glow when we get out of here." He signals Surin to go ahead.
The party watches from around the room as the halfling moves around the alter, keeping about 5 feet from it on his first pass, mumbling to himself the whole time. A half hour passes and he comes back to report. "Nothing around the alter. Give me a few minutes and I'll go check the alter itself."
OODM: More later.
From: Karl
Subject A closer look
Salix will wait for the promised "more" which is to come "later".
From: Mark
Subject up close and personal
Surin relaxes for a few minutes, streching and trying to keep loose. He figured that if the alter were trapped, it would likely be a dozzy. He just hoped he would realize if he set something off and could get out of the way before it killed him. At least he didn't have to worry about any magical traps. Those things were a bitch to find and even harder to get around.
Cracking his nuckles a final time he looks up. "I think it best if the party wait in the other room. That way if I set something off it won't take out all of us. No need to give Mama Bitterroot any company at the funeral."
As the other leave Surin approaches the alter again, this time concentrating on the alter itself. Confindent that the area around the alter was not trapped, his mind focuses on the large wooden structure. Allistair, Ragnar and Salix had all looked at it and not recognize any particular religious symbols or any writing that the recognized. Allistair thought that some of the fancy scroll work could be writing of some sort, but he had not been able to decipher it.
For the next 15 minutes Surin walks slowly around the alter, his flipping back and forth in his hand. Every now and then he reaches out with the blade, gently tracing fancy design work a carving, tracking something in his mind (Multiplie search checks, taking 20, success). The halfling absent mindedly walks over to the door where the party is.
"Yep it's trapped. More than one too. Got to think about this. They seem interconnected and interrelated. Who ever set this up was really devious. I'd like to meet him. Or her."
OODM: Any comments or actoins.
From: Derek
Subject Up close and personal
Allistair speaks up. "If you don't feel confident enough to disarm the traps, I can use my magic to move items from a distance up to 40 feet. I could perhaps set off the trap while we are safely away, or something similar."
From: Derek
Subject Up close and personal
Mund scoffs at Surin's last comment. "You probably don't want to meet him, since it was probably made by the same power-tripping god that made the rest of this place..." Mund looks for an approving nod from Salix, and ignores anything that Harp or Ragnar might have to say in defence of their god.
From: Karl
Subject Up close and personal
Can Salix offer to help? Does he have any skill that would lend a synergy bonus or anything?
From: Karl
Subject Up close and personal
Salix gives Mund a look that, while not quite an "approving nod", clearly shows he agrees with Mund's assertion.
From: Mark
Subject Traps
I am contacting Ashley so that she and I can work out how Surin will handle the traps.
From: Josh
Subject Kal
OOC: I'm in the city for the rest of today and most of tommorow.
Mark or Kevin can take over Kal if need be.
From: Kevin
Subject Traps
OOC: Mark, Harp will offer to pray for guidance for Surin as he attempts this. It is a 0 level cleric that will give a +1 bonus on one skill check. It is what he has to offer.
From: Derek
Subject Traps
Allistair has another idea. "There is another brute force method we could try. This altar is wood, so we could just blast it with a fireball or two from a distance. If the key is inside it, it should be undamaged."
From: Porter
Subject Traps
"I reckon we're not going to try to fight anything else today, right? We might as well try your fireball. Go ahead and do it."