As Maximus moved up behind the Elf Bard she started relating tales from the past some the Gladiator knew some he did not. Stepping past her he began a visual scan of the hallway in front of them. Only when Finarsil talked about a teleporting mist did he look up.

"At the end of the corridor ... with a green demon's face ... there was a doorway filled with mist ... that teleported party members into another section of the tomb ... but without any of their equipment ... or clothing!
"Ahh ok these are PAST tales rt?"

Maximus, no coward in the face of many enemies, found himself somewhat embarrassed at the idea of himself naked in front of Finarsil, Lun and Sparrow. Please not a NAKED teleported thing again The big Fighter/Thief could only await Finersil's reply.

"At the end of the corridor ... with a green demon's face ... there was a doorway filled with mist ... that teleported party members into another section of the tomb ... but without any of their equipment ... or clothing!

"Ahh ok these are PAST tales rt?"

Maximus, no coward in the face of many enemies, found himself somewhat embarrassed at the idea of himself naked in front of Finarsil, Lun and Sparrow. Please not a NAKED teleported thing again The big Fighter/Thief could only await Finersil's reply.
Finarsil smiled at Maximus as she replied:

"Yes, Max, these are indeed PAST tales!

"But there were several verified accounts of the mists that filled the doorway at the end of the corridor!

"Verified accounts by survivors at different times by a variety of adventurers!

"The mists still exist friend Maximus!

"This was common knowledge to Galen!

"It would be wise to follow our friend through the Broken Door that leads to a maze of short halls ... and small rooms ... with many secret doors!"

With Finarsil's reply Maximus's fears of teleportation grew a little stronger. His dislike of traveling through teleports were well known amongst this group as had been seen as he had gotten sick when they first arrived. But knowing he might end up naked in front of the three female members of the party was another fear in and of itself.

Now he was not small or big but normal and all three ladies were quite, entrancing, but still. These were ladies that could kill ya with a blink of an eye, the sweat tone of a song and the wave of a hand.

Shaking his head to rid the thought of possible embarrassment and a deep breath, he went back to looking at the hallway before him.

(Ok trying to see if any of the traps look 'active' I know I know just looking hard)

Keeping close but behind the bard, he listened intently about the past accounts of the tomb. Though worried about some of the tales, the concern among the group was palpable and he didn't want to contribute to it with his own troubled thoughts. He puts away his weapon, however, in anticipation of needing his hands free (to catch himself if he falls into a hole or cover himself if he winds up naked).
Kadrin looks where the bard looks and steps where the bard steps, Feeling that it's the safest course of action.

Ody listened as Max complained about being naked and remember the time the fighter had tried to drink a barrel of Old Froth-n-Slosh. A small Halfling mage had convinced him that he could turn Max's clothes into magic armor. Piece by piece he turned Max's clothing invisible. By the time Max was sober enough to realize what had happened the mage was long gone. So as the shaman entered the passage he called out, "Maybe a tankard of Ale would make the mist disappear?"

"Maybe a tankard of Ale would make the mist disappear?"
Maximus could not help but grimace remembering the incident referred to in Ody's hinted jab. However it seemed the Human Shaman had forgotten who had, had the last LAUGH. While the mage was "stripping" him out of his clothes the male mages familiar, a pretty purple faerie dragon named Peri, was robbing him blind of the 500 gold and 300 silver pieces kept behind the bar as change. The small dragon being of a very mischievous nature had also left behind a little surprise. Using a spell combination of Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter, and Advanced Illusion, when Ody had gone to get change during the mages departure, he suddenly found himself laughing as the bar was filled with Imps! Well the rest of that night was chaos as patrons ran for the doors, the Imps crying and screaming chasing all, and Ody laughing as if he had planned it all as a great joke. Needless to say it had almost been a week before most of his regulars were convinced to return and that he had no hand in the faerie dragon created chaos of that night.

"It might at that my friend, however make this one Imp free, you know how they can ruin the mood"

Maximus moves cautiously down the corridor, checking along the way for more pit traps or any sort of trap whatsoever. It is not work that can be done in haste especially considering where they are right now. Finarsil stays behind the rogue but moves forward to support him in his recon of the hallway. Sparrow keeps an arrow notched and watches.

Nothing jumps out or activates as Max goes down the corridor and he looks down the first open pit trap to see a 20 foot drop and wooden spikes lining the bottom. The spikes are covered with moss now and there are slimes or jellies within - maybe some bugs that have take refuge in the dark hole.

Reaching the 40 foot mark, Maximus sees the former doorway is hanging on one hinge and leaning inwards down the corridor, making it hard to see what lies past it. It is very dark down that way, unnaturally so. Maximus also is close enough to get a good look at the skeleton encased in ice. It has more ice around the floor and feet than near its head - giving the feeling that the ice formed around the person and swallowed him or her up. But then again, there was no clothing or equipment on the skeleton either. Like they were wandering around naked when the ice took them. - oh wait a minute... What did Finarsil say about teleports without clothing?

Using the light of Hoth, Maximus can see more frozen skeletons (5 in total) further down the corridor. Beyond them, he can make out the grinning demon face at the very end of the hallway and a corridor on the left (east) of it. However the archway does not have any mist within that he can see.

OOC: Maximus is about halfway down the corridor (near the open pit in the middle) with Finarsil 10 feet behind him.

The remembrance of her own words spoken previously to the party, caused Finarsil to stop in her tracks, pondering in her own mind for a few moments, whether or not to continue following Max?

" It would be wise to follow our friend through the Broken Door that leads to a maze of short halls ... and small rooms ... with many secret doors!"
The High Elf Bard paused no longer, choosing to carefully retrace her steps back to the Broken Door.

She took another look at Max, then looked back towards the other members of the party, silently drawing Dark Reaver, before holding her sword before her like a torch, as she stood before the threshold of the Broken Door.

((OOC: Having returned her Flute to the Bracer in her right hand, the High Elf Bard extends Dark Reaver ahead of her in her left hand, studying the blade for any signs of a blue hue that would reveal the presence of any unliving thing, as her keen eyes studied the unnaturally dark depths of the corridor beyond the Broken Door for any signs of movement or passage!))

As Kadrin follows the bard's retracing of steps, He speaks in a low, hushed voice,"Finarsil, do you remember anything in those songs and tales of yours about what, in this place, can do that to a person?" indicating one of the frozen corpses. "Only a few creatures come to mind. White dragons and Frost worms."

When he finishes talking he realizes how naked he feels without Dain and Har'ard in his hands and dons them. He also is curious about the door way. "Isn't there supposed to be a mist somewhere beyond this door?"Kadrin thought to himself. He fiddles with his ring of True Seeing and decides to activate it and have a look around. Maybe the mist is concealed.

(OOC:Is it cold in here? Can a Lich freeze a person? Would my character know this info? He sticks to the bard like glue and is ready for melee if needed. He basically goes no further than the door jamb to look for hidden creatures, objects, or magic effects. Kadrin ventures no further than a 15ft radius from Finarsil's side til next post.)

"It might at that my friend, however make this one Imp free, you know how they can ruin the mood"
Even in this grim place the Shaman had to laugh at the memory. Ody had always appreciated a well played joke. It had also given him a couple of dear friends in the Halfling and the Fairy Dragon. Still when Ody assistant Igor bakes apple pies for the Inn they always set one aside for little Peri.

Watching Max move down the passage Odyson calls up a little help for his friend. The cleric of Mother Earth casts "cloak of bravery" on the Gladiator Thief.

(O.O.C., To help readers know what Ody is trying to do. The intent is to add a +4 to Max's saving throws. Just in case he sets off a trap. Or looses his clothes.
Cloak of Bravery: The cloak of bravery spell can be cast upon any willing creature. The protected individual gains a bonus to his saving throw against any form of fear encountered (but not awe--an ability of some lesser and greater powers). When cast, the spell can affect one to four creatures (caster's choice). If only one is affected, the saving throw bonus is +4. If two are affected, the bonus is +3, and so forth, until four creatures are protected by a +1 bonus. The magic of the cloak of bravery spell works only once and then the spell ends, whether or not the creature's saving throw is successful. The spell ends after eight hours if no saving throw is required before then.

The reverse of this spell, cloak of fear, empowers a single creature touched to radiate a personal aura of fear, at will, out to a 3-foot radius. All other characters and creatures within this aura must roll successful saving throws vs. spell or run away in panic for 2d8 rounds. Affected individuals may or may not drop items, at the DM's option.

The spell has no effect upon undead of any sort. The effect can be used only once, and the spell expires after eight hours if not brought down sooner. Members of the recipient's party are not immune to the effects of the spell.

The material component for the cloak of bravery spell is the feather of an eagle or hawk. The reverse requires the tail feathers of a vulture or chicken. )

As Maximus moved into the hallway of sprung traps he took nothing for granted checking along the way for more pit traps or any sort of trap whatsoever. Moving to check everything, skeletons, open pits, for any new traps, he knew his progress could easily be seen as slow but better slow then dead. With Finarsil close behind, he finally reached the open pit in the hallways middle. Using the light from his short sword he gazed into its depth not knowing what to expect.

Well at least no mist......

Arien frowns at the situation. The entire thing screams trap, ambush, death... but then again, what about this infernal place didn't?

Careful to give Maximus full leeway to act as a scout/trap springer, Arien followed at what felt like a judicious distance. Far enough to hopefully avoid being affected by any traps the thief might spring, but close enough to come to his comrade's aid in the event of an ambush.

OOC: sword and shield at the ready. As muscle, there's not much else for Arien to do at this point.

Lun had long ago placed faith in the unknown, and she would do so once again. Elven foot steps fell silently as she followed the others down the hallway. Keeping close to the other elves, the priestess remained vigilant for any threat her fey senses might discover.

All was calm, too calm. In this place she feared what hid in the silent shadows. With her black staff in hand she made ready for what she prayed would not come to pass.

Having explored far enough to see to the end of the hallway, Maximus returns his attention to the broken door and the hallway beyond. The hallway is filled with a darkness that defies his infravision but with the light of Hoth, he can see well enough. There is not much down the corridor; in fact it ends in a door after about 20 feet. The door is odd, made of a silver corrugated metal and the door handle is at the bottom - like you would pull it up instead of opening from the side. The open 10x10 pit does present a problem as it is right in front of the doorway; however the wood from the broken door could be used to form a slanted bridge that you could step across. Odyson casts a spell on Maximus that makes him feel a bit more confident going forward.

Finarsil and Karin are standing beside Maximus as he looks down the corridor. Odyson moves into the hallway to cast a spell on Maximus that makes him feel a bit more confident going forward. The dwarf decided to activate his true seeing and look around.

The power behind what Kadrin sees almost knocks him to his feet. The pure evil and magic is deep inside every brick and stone of this place, so much so that the true vision of it is overwhelming. But not to the dwarf who manages to keep upright and try to focus on the area and not the power within. The green demon face at the end of the corridor is merely that, a carved face and any Annihilation magic is long gone. Nor is there mist or magic in the archway beside the demon's face. But the frozen dead are ....

Suddenly there is a burst of energy from the cavern area behind the party. Green energy travels across the ground towards you and down the hall, no way to avoid it. As the energy touches the ratmen, they begin to move and stare to stand. The frozen dead suddenly burst from their ice sheaths and move as well, like warriors wearing ice armour. Dark Reaver now glows blue as you are caught between the undead in the cavern and the skeletons within the corridors.

OOC:
Maximus, Kadrin, Finarsil and Odyson are in the corridor near the broken doorway so will face the ice skeletons first. The rest of you are standing by the corridor entrance and have the rat-zombies behind you.

As he knelt and looked over the way in front of him Max could see nothing beyond the broken door, the hallway behind it sheathed in darkness. His magically gifted infravision useless he turned to HOTH the light from the short sword showing him nothing but a door 20 feet away. However Maximus could tell that the door itself was odd and made of some type of silver corrugated metal, with the door handle at the bottom. The door clearly opening upwards instead of to a side.

As the Fighter/Thief thought of a way to cross the 10x10 pit and gain access to the door, his thoughts were ripped from him suddenly as a burst of green energy rushed past the party. Maximus watched as the energy touched both the ratmen and the frozen skeletons bringing them once more to life. Turning to face the ice armored skeletons Maximus drew forth JAL to join HOTH in his hands, his thumb caressed its red gem.

"Feanor'Narwa"*
At once the long blade went red, the intense heat easily felt by the three close to him, as he moved to the attack..

Using the +4 fire attack/double damage of the sword vs the Skeletons and use my short sword to block attacks
((*Spirit of Fire))