Unable to puzzle out the runes, the ignorant Guardians continued down the stony corridor. They rounded the corner and advanced down a stone corridor, into a diamond shaped room. The room had only two features of note upon first glance- another corridor leading east and a section of floor in the centre of the room where the carved stone gave way to a thick section of transparent glass. The Guardians began to move forward to investigate this glass when, on the other side of the room, a summoned guardian appeared in a burst of foul-smelling damp mist. Appearing as a hideous cross between lobster, octopus, and man, the humanoid was large sized and lean; its head almost reaching the room's ceiling.
Even as the foul-smelling guardian appeared, each Guardian instantaneously heard the same voice within their very mind- addressed telepathically.
it demanded.
Casimir regarded the foul figure, his face hard and his sword ready.
"Tell it nothing it may use against us, just send that thing back to whatever hellish place that spawned it."
Kalev assumes a battle stance, assuming the creature is hostile.
As much as I would like to rid our world of this evil we should be smart about this and try to save our resources...wasn't there a name of someone that this tower is named off of, we should answer that creatures name and see if we can bypass it.
It asked us in whose name...if that doesn't work we destroy it.
Fully capable of understanding Common and clearly not satisfied with the two statements it heard, the crustacean-like creature raised its claws, as intent on battle as Casimir himself. The tentacles on its face grew in length as it became clear that they were as much a weapon as its claws were.
You are clearly not aligned with Vordakai the voice within your minds stated flatly.
Round 1-
Ordered Initiative-
Guardian-
Malthir-
Fenna-
Ricter-
Kip-
Casimir- 25
Guardian- 22
Fenna- 18
Kalev- 15
Kip- 8
Ricter- 6
Malthir- 2
Active Effects-
None (Yet)
Map-
Notes-
Action-
"Looks like we'll have to expend some resources after all. Spread out and come at it from all sides at once. And best call upon Iomedae to aid us in this, Malthir. This thing feels like it is begging to taste some divine wrath."
Casimir lets go of the hilt of Brightclaw with one hand and flexes his forearm. As if by magic, a wand appears in his hand. He waves it at the Guardians and speaks the arcane words that activate the energy stored within. All the Guardians except Kip feel the familiar quickness of the haste spell.
As soon as the spell is cast, Casimir lets the wand drop to the floor and dashes forward and to the side, prepared to pounce on the outsider once the Guardians have it surrounded.
If I only only call on her help as I needed...I am not sure if I should save my pleas for other opponents or call for her aid now. Does anyone know how powerful this dark being is?
Despite the increased speed Casimir offered with the wand, the extraplanar beast was quicker still. With a dismissive wave of its claw, the guardian summoned a noxious cloud of gas; it reeked of the foulest swamps and the damp feeling it left was quite disgusting. Clearly confident in its abilities, it placed the noxious cloud so as to make retreating from the cloud more difficult than advancing into its grasp. It advanced into the centre of the room, keeping a wary eye on Casimir as well as watching for those who emerged from the gas.
Unsurprisingly, the more martially inclined amongst the Guardians had years of conditioning and physical training over Kip and Fenna- and they toughed out the nauseating effects of the gas, although in Kalev's base only barely. Kip and Fenna succumbed to the queasiness in their stomachs and struggled to even maintain their footing.
My my... so many delicious magical auras upon you. Especially the one with the virtuous aura the Guardian said, seemingly addressing Malthir. When Vordakai comes to check for today's victims, he will not be disappointed.
You just about recognise this extraplanar creature- known as a Piscodaemon. It is an Outsider, specifically a Daemon, with the Evil and Aquatic subtypes. Among the cruellest of Daemons, they revel in protracted misery caused by their own hands and the hands of their immediate underlings. Piscodaemons’ poisonous tentacles easily ravage lesser victims; in fact, they are the personification of poisonous death. Dwelling primarily in Abaddon’s flooded, swampy, and fully aquatic regions, they often compete with hydrodaemon's and frequently lead squads of their lesser cousins.
On the Material Plane, their proclivity for violence attracts them to aquatic reaches around settled lands, such as swamps near towns or city sewers. From there, they tempt mortals into their lairs, delighting in massacre after brutal massacre.
What little you know beyond the basics is tied mostly to its physical prowess. This one is clearly larger than a basic Piscodaemon. They are adept at grappling and can latch onto foes with their claws. Their claws are especially deadly; magically augmented so as to tear through flesh and bone.
You just about recognise this extraplanar creature- known as a Piscodaemon; a Neutral Evil inhabitant of the plane of Abbadon. It is an Outsider, specifically a Daemon, with the Evil and Aquatic subtypes. Among the cruellest of Daemons, they revel in protracted misery caused by their own hands and the hands of their immediate underlings. Piscodaemons’ poisonous tentacles easily ravage lesser victims; in fact, they are the personification of poisonous death. Dwelling primarily in Abaddon’s flooded, swampy, and fully aquatic regions, they often compete with hydrodaemon's and frequently lead squads of their lesser cousins.
On the Material Plane, their proclivity for violence attracts them to aquatic reaches around settled lands, such as swamps near towns or city sewers. From there, they tempt mortals into their lairs, delighting in massacre after brutal massacre.
What little you know beyond the basics is tied mostly to its defences. It has tough natural armour and is especially resistant to effects that target fortitude. In addition, it is resistant to spells and only weapons aligned to the power of good can harm them without a reduction in effectiveness. The daemon is immune to acid, poison, disease and death effects and resistant to Cold, Fire and Electricity.
The only notable weakness the Daemon has is its relatively clumsy form, but as a physical combatant it is extremely potent.
"It appears to be a-" Fenna manages to get out before the noxious cloud engulfs the Guardians, the rest of her words obscured by her sputtering.
Feeling her way along the wall to escape the fumes, Fenna emerges into the room gasping for fresh air.
Rictor, wait for me I will draw its attack.
As a swift action I point my sword at the beast activating my smite evil
Iomedae, grant me your boon to fight the evil that stands before me!
A golden halo surrounds Malthir, granting him protections from the evil creature. I then move up to D/8 and attack, drawing its attack as well.
Ricter completes Fenna's sentence
"-a Piscodaemon! Direct magical attacks won't be much use"
He then enters the fray a few steps behind Malthir
"Iomedae wrath is the surest way through it's defences..."
"...but brute force may suffice!"
Seeing his allies charge the demonic creature, Kalev lowers Cleft, curved edge pointing straight at the creature, lets out a furious scream and charges forward, trying to skewer his foe.
Fenna came out of the cloud spluttering while Kalev was still shaking off the effects, his hoarse cry of fury not enough to prevent the effort of fighting off the gas from fouling up his swing.
Kip likewise crept out of the fog along the other wall, not wanting to get stuck behind on his own.
The Piscodaemon was not prepared for the armoured bulk of Malthir to surge out of the cloud and despite a hastily raised claw, it failed to damage Malthir's magnificent armour. The Duke's smite-enhanced sword slashed through its shell, cracking it like a crab and cutting into the slimy, grey flesh underneath. Ricter followed up and added his flail to the fray, failing to smash through the armoured carapace.
Round 2-
Ordered Initiative-
Casimir- 25
Guardian- 22
Fenna- 18
Kalev- 15
Kip- 8
Ricter- 6
Malthir- 2
Active Effects-
Smite Evil (Malthir)
Haste (Guardians excluding Kip)
Map-
Notes-
Enemy is large sized and likely has reach with at least the claws.
Knowledge (Planes) is the applicable roll.
Action-
This close to the glass floor, Ricter and Malthir could see what lay below. Thousands upon thousands of bones lay in a subterranean chamber, a macabre bone graveyard. Slowly and surely, small pockets of movement could be observed amongst the massive room as bones latched together into humanoid shapes; although no spellcaster was in sight.
Direct magic is of little use....then brute force will have to suffice. Guess I'd best make myself useful.
Dashing forward, Casimir stepped in behind the deamon and struck, taking advantage of the distraction the armored fighters provided, and hoping to provide a distraction himself in return.
Casimir's blow cut through the carapace but the force behind it left very little impact. Beyond a slight flinch, the Piscodaemon barely noticed the cut.
It focused its full formidable offence on Malthir instead. In what was actually the single most mighty blow the Guardians had ever witnessed (except, perhaps, one of Kalev's), the brutally strong Piscodaemon seemed blessed by the Horseman of Death himself as it made up for its initial miss by clutching a crab-like claw around Malthir's throat, crushing through his neckguard, bone and flesh alike. It made an example of the Duke and not even the shield wall between him and Ricter could prevent the unstoppable claw. It hoisted Malthir into the air, blood streaming from his throat as the Paladin croaked out the words to a desperate spell of defiance. The magical healing seemed enough to keep him concious; at least until the claw hoisting him up tightened. The Piscodaemon dropped the Paladin in a bloody heap, its tentacular face a clear picture of contempt; its confidence supreme now its main attacker was dead or dying.
Your holy one has fallen. You have no hope the Daemon taunted.
Daemon, you will fall before the might of argh!...
"Hope and fear are for lesser men than us!"
Ricter relentlessly slams his flail at the demon, intent on keeping the beacon of law in the stolen lands from further harm.
With the battle on a knife edge the Hellknight refuses to allow himself to fail:
Seeing his friend the Duke go down in such a brutal fashion, Kalev sought to slay the Daemon as quickly as possible, seeing the terrible damage it could inflict. He continued to have trouble hacking through the Daemon's carapace as it skillfully warded two of his strikes into its carapace with quick motions of its claws. He did eventually hack through its torso, adding a slightly more significant wound.
The Hellknight also faced the daunting prospect of smashing through the carapace, but he willed himself to succeed and also scored a wound, one which left large cracks running through the Daemon's blood-soaked claw as it attempted to parry one sure strike.
-9 HP. Stabilisation-
Failed. Down to -10HP.
Round 3-
Ordered Initiative-
Casimir- 25
Guardian- 22
Fenna- 18
Kalev- 15
Kip- 8
Ricter- 6
Malthir- 2
Active Effects-
Smite Evil (Malthir)
Haste (Guardians excluding Kip)
Map-
Notes-
Piscodaemon is large sized and likely has reach with at least the claws.
Knowledge (Planes) is the applicable roll.
Action-
The four blows landed through the Piscodaemon's defences had worn it down somewhat, but it was clear that only Malthir's sword strike had truly harrowed the extraplanar creature for a moment. It continued to ignore Casimir behind it, focusing its offence on the heavy-hitting Ricter and Kalev.
Pushing aside his concern for the dying paladin, Casimir gave himself over to the hastening magic and let Brightclaw dance like silver lightning across the deamon's back, hoping to find an weakness in the hard shell.
Casimir opened three gashes on the Daemon's back with agile, slashing blows. The first cut was a deep one, while the second and third barely seemed to harm the powerful Outsider.
Clearly more than irritated by the duelist and the flanking he was providing, the blooded, monstrously robust Daemon whirled on him with an overwhelming offence born of primal, ferocious instinct and hardened by centuries of service to the Horseman of Death. Casimir's sword was batted aside as two fierce lobster claws tore through his torso and its tentacles, seeming to act almost independently of the Daemon, bit into his neck and delivered lethal poison directly into his system...
That puts you on -5HP.
Please make a fortitude save to avoid Constitution damage...
Also, your taking 2 bleed damage per turn.
Seeing his two friends down and maybe dead, a rage welled in his chest, and he hacked at the daemon with all his might.
The difficulty of fighting while resisting the airborne gas was forgotten as Kalev went on a furious attack, abandoning his own defence as he fought to desperately overcome the Daemon before someone else was struck down. The Daemon attempted to parry Cleft, only to hiss in agony as its claw was severed by the powerful polearm.
Kalev did not let up. He continued to leave severe slashing wounds upon the Daemon as he demolished its attempts at defence before, to the thing's utter surprise and amazement, impaling it with the of the weapon, hoisting it up into the air in a display of Kalev's rage-imbued strength and then stepping close and driving the axe head further into the foe- by slamming the Piscodaemon onto the glass floor in an explosion of grey blood and gore that finally slew it.
Impressively, the glass was not damaged by the onslaught. Worryingly, it was now apparent that the Guardian had been Called, rather than Summoned- its existence on the material plane had been genuine rather than a mere aspect. The bloody, partly dismembered remains of the Daemon stood testament to this fact.
Getting his own queasiness under control, Kip moves to the grievously stricken Casimir, pulling a vial from his pack and popping the cork out as he goes. Without delay, he pours the contents into his fallen comrade's open mouth before unceremoniously tossing the empty vial aside.
Seeing the minor effect the elixir has on Cas' condition, and that he also seems to be suffering from some sort of venom, Kip quickly administers a few more of his healing elixirs...
He then moves over to the prone form of Malthir, pouring another healing elixir into him...
His personal healing supplies exhausted, and seeing that Fenna is no longer nauseated herself, he does not remove one of his two potions meant to combat such sickness.
Might I suggest a tactful retreat?
As the healing liquids restore him to consciousness and halt the poison, Casimir struggles up into a sitting position. Glancing at the broken remains of the daemon, he suppresses a shudder at the thought of the price the victory almost cost.
Too weak to fully stand, he drags himself over to one side, where he slumps wearily up against the wall. Reaching into his bandolier, he pulls out a vial of his own and drains it swiftly.
Still seriously injured, he applies a few uses of his own healing powers, expecting Fenna to administer her more potent spells to Malthir.
When Kip suggests retreat, he closes his eyes for a moment, as if wishing himself far away, then raises his voice in protest.
"No. I would like nothing better than to head back to Swordhaven, drag Kressle to our room and sleep in her arms for a week. But we can not turn back now. Our enemy, Vordakai, will surely not sit idle while we regroup, and we may well return to find another undead host and a new daemon called forth to replace the ones we slew. And for every moment we delay, his necromantic army grows bigger." he says, gesturing to the mass of animated bones below the glass.
"Agreed. We are on the verge of reaching the perpetrator of these endless crimes, I can feel it. Besides...if we miss this chance I don't think we'll get another..."
Beating down the flames of rage in his chest, Kalev sighs tiredly, But a short break and some healing might be a good idea...
Casimir nodded wearily. "Yes, Kalev. I think a short rest would go a long way."
He pulled out his waterskin and took a long sip, then instructed the cloak-shrouded unseen servant to retrieve his wand for him so he could place it back into his wrist sheath.
"Once we catch our breath, we can move further into the complex. Or...we could wait here, and let Vordekai come to us. The daemon mentioned that he visits this place every day to check if the guardian has slain any fresh victims. It's a risky ploy. If he has the means to scry this place, we will be sitting ducks. On the other hand, we may be able to fool him into thinking we have been killed by the daemon and take him by surprise. And if we face him here, we won't have to deal with any other guardians that may lurk within."
He glanced down the hallway opposite from where the group entered.
"Regardless of what we do, we should probably scout down that hallway there, to see what lies beyond. Perhaps we can find a location better suited for an ambush."
Malthir continues to lie on the ground unconscious...
Malthir continues to lie on the ground unconscious...
Fenna pulls herself to her feet, slowly shaking off the nausea which debilitated her. Staggering to the fallen Duke, she calls upon divine healing to restore him, "Skillful Tailor, I ask that you lend your talents to mend the terrible wound suffered by our noble leader."
As Malthir's neck slowly began to reform from the mangled wreck that the pincer had left it, Fenna continued in her liturgy, only half listening to the conversation around her.
Seeing Fenna restore Malthir to health, Casimir says "When you are done, I could use one of those if you can spare it.
Malthir sits up and shakes his head in confusion, For a moment I stood with Iomedae...she told me it wasn't time yet and answered my prayer of healing.
He looks around at the battered Casimir, I see you met the crabman of evil! It seemed to have a pention for human flesh. Looks like I have some new dents in my armor...
He staggers up, Can we continue? I suppose we must unless we have some way to hide ourselves from the creature who rules this tower.
Lets press on. he then hands his potion of Bless to Fenna, Use it as needed.
Agreed, if this Vordakai is a powerful spellcaster, which everything points towards, we shouldn't give him too long to prepare...I just hope I don't live to regret this line of thinking...
Casimir stands, then removes the rags and cloak from the unseen servant and instructs it to follow him rather than move ahead of the group.
"Let us proceed, then. But we should probably move with a bit more care. Perhaps the more subtle of us should scout ahead."
Agreed...do we have a better way to communicate in case we are being scry'd upon?
Fenna accepts the potion with a nod, holding it h=in her left hand as she moves to administer healing to Casimir.
"Indeed, we should move on before we loose what little chance of catching our foe unaware we still possess."
"Good as new. Thank you, Fenna."
Envigorated by the healing, Casimir takes the lead and carefully moves down the unexplored hallway.
Kip shrugs his shoulders and moves into position with the others. One day we will march with single minded determination to our doom. Hopefully that day is not today...
As Cas makes to go scouting Kip inquires, Want some company?
"Triumph over evil does not come without hardship or risk, Kip. But hopefully some measure of caution will serve us well. I'd welcome the company."
When Malthir mentions communication.
"Stay behind us, about 30 to 50 ft. We'll use message to contact you. If we are scryed upon, any measure of stealth is void anyway. Let's just hope we aren't.
With that, He and Kip move out.
As the less subtle guardians begin to move down the corridor in the wake of their elusive comrades, Ricter speaks dismissively:
"Better this felon uses up his powers watching us approach than slinging magical doom at us when we catch up with him"
You misunderstand me Cas. It is not the hardship or the risk that concerns me. It is the leap before you look manner in which we consistently choose to confront the unknown and known adversaries that we face.
At the mention of scrying magic, Kip whispers to Cas as they sneak ahead of the main group, If that is a real concern, then perhaps I should not accompany you. It is reasonable to assume, given my run in with the soul eater, that I am likely the focus of said scrying.
Casimir and Kip snuck through the short tunnel ahead and came out to a cavern.
This wide natural cavern seems to have been artificially enlarged in places. A vaulting ceiling nearly thirty feet above is replete with a forest of slowly dripping stalactites, while below a wide pool occupies the entire chamber save for a narrow rocky shelf hugging the cavern wall at the level of the river outside. The keen eyes of the pair could not fail to notice a submerged flight of steps in the pool, descending under the northern ledge of this room. The water is full of silt and murk that made looking deep into it exceedingly difficult; they could only see perhaps the first 5-10 feet of the pool, which was certainly deeper than that.
I am not so good with the swimming... Kip says sheepishly.
We should bring the others up.