(I don't know Trael is being attacked by pudding, right?)
"What do you know about this keep?"
Ask.
"Enough to fill several lifetimes, yet very little of what lies beyond the entrance into the deeps. I'd rather not try and guess what is important to you, what would bore you, and what would be important enough if I thought you could survive to that point. I may be tell you things if you are more specific, but something I can tell you is that there are worse things down there than ghouls, and worse things than Prodith, for that matter."
"Did you have specific business with us, then, or did you just feel it wise to address us before we stumbled into you?
More to the point, do you know the way down?"
Inquire.
"Parts of one, parts of the other, really. I had rather that you don't waste time trying to destroy me, and I wanted to see if you might be up to the task of destroying Prodith. As for the way down, we're standing right in front of it. There's a door, but from the sounds of it, your friend that rushed down has already opened it."
"And...why did they kill you?" Rorrim added in.
After that, examine the shrine.
"Prodith did it to turn me into a convenient torturable thing. Mental torture, of course. Can't leave the area of Bloodstained Dreams, can't move down past the first floor of the Keep, or rather, into the Tower, can't die permanently unless Prodith is killed..."
Your question answered, you head back up to examine the shrine.
(1d6+1=6) It's a shrine to Tiamat, definitely. Called the Archwyrm by laypeople, despite having little sway over dragons and their ilk, among the learned, she is better known as a demon goddess, the Wyrm of Change, highest of the ti'asku, thriving on hatred of the world and life as it is and the desire to change, reforge. Her legate, Magog, is a tortured creature that has been known to have been killed a number of times, only to be brought back to life by Tiamat so he can continue to suffer. A long time ago, Tiamat was supposedly using a secret organization that sought to reforge the world, the Ashen Talon, but what eventually became of it... you sit down in front of the shrine, pondering whether it holds further secrets. Surely it must.
Must.
----
Bring out vaguely explained light source we're all apparently carrying one of.
Walk down the hallway.
Keep tapping the walls.
Ra-ta-ta-tap.
You get out your lamp to supplement the light coming through the windows, and walk down the hallway, constantly tapping the walls. You end up in the dead end none the wiser.
----
((Whoops, thought I'd posted))
"Hnnh. Any idea what those are?" The skeleton addressed the voice in his head, eyeing the vaguely threatening-looking blobs with suspicion. Eventually he went to walk swiftly past them, taking the first door he saw which could possibly lead in the right direction.
He kept an eye on the things, though. And a tight grip on his sword.
>Head through nearest hopeful door! Avoid weird blobs, whatever they are. If they attack me, slice 'em up. But mostly just try to step past them.
"Black puddings. Try not to cut or bludgeon them. Latter doesn't work out well, former creates smaller spawn. Best keep your distance until the slackers get here."
You attempt to rush past the globbing blobs, getting to the closest door available.
Avoid the blobs vs close in on yummy skeleton. (1d6=4, 1d6=2)You reach the door easily enough, pushing against it, then trying to pull it. Dammit. It appears to be locked.
Enemies - 2
black puddings - medium distance to Trael, not visible to the others.
Hit points: 20
Action points: 10
TraitsSageNecromancerEquipmentSkull StaffGrim RobeManhide GrimoireUnmarked potionSpells:Draining GazeConsult DeadCall Shade Hit points: 20
Action points: 7/10 (5/6 turns to recovery)
TraitsUsing everything as a weaponStaying eternally calmEquipmentA ropeWell-crafted knifeWarhammer Hit points: 18/20 (2/3 to heal)
Action points: 10
TraitsUnfeelingDrivenEquipment:Ancient, battered steel greatswordHeavy green wool cloakLarry Hit points: 25
Action points: 5
TraitsVigilantWarriorEquipment:Dulled, chipped, Tempered Steel Lochaber AxeLeather armorWoad body paintA rock Hit points: 20
Action points: 8/10 (5/6 to recover)
TraitsSkilled SwordsmanFire magicEquipment:Bronze LongswordBronze ShieldBook of Fire MagicSpells:FireboltFiery CylinderHeat Shield No, this Tiamat is not five-headed, and not five-colored. Anyone who suggests otherwise gets an auto-1.