Mokmurian avoids Sefayll's disembodied hand.
Hudak ploughs into Mokmurian, swooping down from the ceiling. He pushes the giant back, but Mokmurian doesn't fall. Instead, he hangs suspended by a spell of flight.
Mokmurian avoids Sefayll's disembodied hand.
Hudak slams into the giant driving it down just enough for Illes to hammer at its mind with a sonic assault. The bard begins sculpting his attack by shaping sound as if he were conducting an orchestra to carry out his attack. An amplified union of a slaughtered goats bleating, a child's first flute lesson, and a Varisian carnival barker chisel at the wizard's mental defences trying to disrupt his concentration.
Mokmurian shrugs off Illes' spell. He shifts slightly out of the zone of silence (5' drift) and quickly chants some mystic syllables. He disappears.
"Squeek!"
"F*!$! F+~*!!!!" Alwyn is not happy. "We screwed up. He'll be back with his army soon enough. Toss the room - then we gotta scram. I guess we can hide out in the tunnels for a while and wait him out, maybe get a second chance to strike him down."
“I’m familiar with the spell the stone giant used,” says Elisile. “Dimension door, a relatively short range teleport. He won’t have gone more than a thousand feet away – enough to escape us if he chooses it is true – but would he flee to his army as a wounded coward? I cannot see the giants respecting such a leader. He may be nearer to hand, still within this complex – hiding, regrouping or seeking allies. We may yet find him. He may for example have retreated to the library, assuming that we could not bypass the door.”
"What the hell kind of magic was that? How was he casting so fast? And Camlo..." Illes grabs his flute and plays something calm and quiet as he approaches the little mouse and holds out his hand for it to climb onto him. "Don't worry little guy. I can fix this, but its going to take some time."
Camlo sniffs at Ille's hand a little, then climbs on board sniffling around for something to eat....
"Well, Camlo got him pretty good, so he's bleeding like a stuck pig. Let's try to find him before he gets to a healer."
"From what we know of the area down here, where would you flee? The library seems likely unless he seeks one of the allies we have defeated - perhaps the lamias that were accosting Elisile were healers. Though he is likely to have healing available on his person if he's as prepared as his actions indicated..."
“Let us try the library first,” suggests Elisile.
"Let's go. If we can't find him, we gotta make our escape."
While everyone tries to figure out wha to do when the plan falls apart, Illes quietly heals himself from the severe burns he took during the fight. "Ok, lets hit the library. If he isn't there we might be able to draw him in by threatening to fireball it. The librarian isn't going to like that, but what are gonna do?"
"Hudak! Pick up the papers and the books and toss 'em in the bag of holding. See if you can throw the chest in there too. Don't open it or set off any traps. We'll open it later when I've restored Camlo."
"The rest of us head for the library. Hudak will catch up with us once he's looted the stage - he can fly, so that won't take long. Let's get going."
The group hurry out of the room, past where they battled the hounds of Tindalos, and into the corridor. The door to the library looks undisturbed.
Illes blows a kiss at the chest and drawls, "As much as it pains me to part, I'll be back for you sweetheart."
Elisile hastens back towards the library.
Back in the library, the librarian wheezes back into life as the adventurers arrive. But there is no sign of Mokmurian.
"Not good. He's run off looking for allies. Perhaps he counts on our lack of knowledge of his lair, planning to lay a trap. And perhaps we can turn those tables on him."
After a moment, the glowing hand disappears, its magic spent. Likewise, the spell it held disappears, its energy unused.
Sefayll will pause periodically (when the others check for sign of the mage) to scan for thoughts using her helm.
"Squeek squeek?"
The group make their way back through the complex, but other than the carnage they wreaked on the way in there is no sign of Mokmurian.
“The corridor on the other side of this room would be a good place to set up an ambush, should we succumb to its space bending properties. I can likely take a few of us across safely.”
Sefayll will scan for thoughts on the other side of the vertigo room before saying, "Prepare your spell, Lady Elisile. I shall try to pass through to trigger the ambush or warn you of it. That way you can bring the militia and everyone will know what they are getting into."
Casting message for the group to converse and heading into the room.
Elisile turns to Hudak, Alwyn and Illes. “Take hands,” she instructs. “At the hellknight’s signal I shall cast the spell to get us past the room. Illes, do you still have Camlo? Good. Alwyn, I’m afraid the servant of your god must make its own way across – perhaps the chamber will not affect it a second time.”
Sefayll walks out into the room, crossing to the other side. From the perspective of the others, she seems to shrink and disappear into the distance with great rapidity, almost as if she is falling down a deep shaft. However, she makes it to the far side with no incident and is able to report that the corridor beyond seems to be clear of Mokmurian or any other giants.
Soon, Elisile materialises beside her, together with Alwyn, Illes and Hudak.
Illes shudders once they reappear on the other side. The bard straightens his clothing and twists the tips of his moustache back into form. Burned flakes of both drift to the ground around him. "Nice trick long ears. Thanks for that. I'm nearly out of tricks myself."
He turns back to see Demiarchos make the walk and crosses his fingers. "C'mon Desna! We need this warbeast, not an attack poodle."