LogFAQs > #985928963

The time for observation is over. The source of this corruption lies below, and every moment its sickly green heart continues to beat is a victory for the fanatics who served it.

"We're opening it," you state, the words cutting through the low hum. Its not a question.

Vaela gives a sharp, feral nod. She holsters her crossbow with an economy of motion that speaks to countless such moments and takes her position opposite you. You both dig your fingers into the freezing, rusted iron of the grate, finding what purchase you can on the slick bars. Gideon, his face ashen in the green glare, wisely retreats several paces.

You and Vaela lock eyes for a brief secondan unspoken acknowledgmentand then you both heave.

I will make the Strength (Athletics) check with advantage, showing both dice as requested.

Advantage Strength (Athletics) Check:

Higher Roll: 19 from (19, 5)

Final Calculation: 19 - 1 (Pint's STR mod) = 18

For a moment, there is only the straining of sinew and the grinding of teeth. Then, a percussive crack echoes in the chamber as the grate's rusted seal breaks. A shriek of tortured metal tears through the air as you and Vaela drag the immense iron plate across the stone floor, the sound grating on the nerves. Flakes of ancient rust and dried slime rain into the chamber below.

The way is open. A ten-foot drop into a void of perfect, black stone.

A current of cool, sterile air breathes up from the darkness, a stark contrast to the fetid dampness of the sewer. The crystal's steady hum sharpens, rising in pitch to a piercing, resonant keen, as if a nerve has been struck. The light no longer simply pulses; it bleeds more intensely from the jagged stone, staining the air a deeper, more virulent shade of green. The runes on the pedestal now glow with a constant, angry light. The chamber is aware of you.

You stand at the precipice, muscles burning from the effort. Vaela recovers quickly, wiping grime from her hands onto her trousers, her gaze already sweeping the chamber below, calculating angles, exits, and risks. Gideon has edged closer, drawn by a scholar's horrified fascination, his knuckles bone-white where he clutches his heavy tome.

The chasm awaits your decision. What do you do?

A. Leap into the chamber. Your monastic training has prepared you for such things. A calculated, ten-foot drop is the fastest way to confront the artifact directly.
B. Secure a line. The methodical approach. Anchoring your rope ensures a controlled descent and, more importantly, a reliable path of retreat.
C. A brutal calculus suggests itself. The cultists' corpses are a resource. You could shove one into the opening below to probe for traps or other defenses without risking the living.
D. Deploy your asset. Vaela is agile and lethal. You could anchor the rope and lower her down, providing cover from above as she investigates.
E. Propose another course of action.