The terrace valley falls into deep shadow as the sun sets. With the growing darkness, the tangle of woody vines covering the pagoda burst into life. Buds along the vines start to grow at an alarming rate.
Nearing the door, you see a wide corridor that runs left and right before you. The interior appears to be twenty feet high, but the ceiling is obscured by layers of webbing, between ten and fifteen feet overhead. The walls are thick wood, supported by stone beams.
Just through the threshold, a spray of dagger-size blades comes down on the group from the many dragon carvings.
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Although everyone is caught in the barrage, most of you avoid any mortal wounds. Skygni, however, takes a brutal cut through the neck. Bleeding profusely, the wolf collapses.
At the threshold, the sounds of fighting are louder, coming from further inside, to your right.
Heng finds no mark or sign of a trigger.
"Skygni!"
Harlan quickly channels then heals the wolf again.
Heng's more thorough search finds the trap was mechanically triggered after the main door was opened. It appears that unless it is reset, it should be safe to pass.
In the couple minutes taken searching, the clashing inside reaches a crescendo then fades to silence.
The corridor continues up to the bend at the corner. Heng spies no additional traps or triggers along the way. However, you do notice a few conspicuous slots in the floor down the left corridor.
Skygni stands up after Harlan's quick healing removes nearly all trace of his wounds. He blinks at Harlan in thanks, and gives the surroundings a more wary eye.
Heng follows the corridor to the left, moving quietly over the flagstone floor. Around the bend, the corridor continues to circle the pagoda's central room, and you find a wide archway halfway down. Heng moves up quietly, peering into the shadowy interior.
The core of the pagoda has been gutted. The decay of the walls is even more noticeable here, and only the presence of the corner pillars, carved with more pictures of battling dragons, seems to keep the building up. Thick webs fill the four corners and obscure the ceiling, but the central floor seems to have suffered the most. A great rip in the floor creating a steep-walled pit sloping down to a dark shaft dominates the center of the room.
Heng sees that the room is the site of a recent melee. Two bloody corpses of what appear to be hobgoblins, wearing Tien armor, lie near the central rift. A grotesque spider-human hybrid -- with the upper body of a clothed human and lower body of a hunchbacked spider, is busy tying up one of the bodies in its silken webbing.
The floor of the room is littered with bones, discarded refuse, rusting bits of armor and weapons, and many blood stains, new and old. It has seen a good number of battles.
Knowledge Arcana:
Malnival steps forward with his hands raised.
Uh oh, isn't being friendly my tactic? I hope she doesn't hit him in the head.
Harlan follows behind, waiting for the all clear.
HP = 65/73
AC/T/FF = 22/17/14 (25% ignore sneak/critical)
Weapon Equipped = +1 Light Crossbow
Bolts = 43/43
Speed = 15'
Channel = 3/6 (5d6)
Oracle Spells Known (CL 10):
5 4/4 Cure Light Wounds, Mass, Break Enchantment*, Breath of Life*
4 3/6 Cure Critical Wounds*, Restoration*, Air Walk, Holy Smite*
3 5/7 Cure Serious Wounds*, Dispel Magic, Neutralize Poison*, Stone Shape, Magic Circle Against Evil
2 4/7 Restoration, Lesser*, Resist Energy*, Cure Moderate Wounds*, Shield Other*, Spiritual Weapon, Ghostbane Dirge*
1 7/8 Bless, Detect Evil, Detect Undead, Command*, Cure Light Wounds*, Burning Disarm*, Sun Metal*
0 Stabilize, Purify Food and Drink*, Create Water, Detect Magic, Mending, Guidance, Light, Spark*
* Save DC = 15 + Level
Status Effects = None
The spider creature whips around as Malnival speaks, eyes wide in surprise. It remains silent as it starts to withdraw up a line into the ceiling webbing.
Harlan waits, unsure of the plan but waiting on diplomacy.
Diplomacy not being his strong suit, Parity hangs back and looks menacing.
The creature squirms in Heng's grasp, screaming for help and biting at Heng's shoulder with spider-like mandibles. Heng elbows its head back, avoiding the venomous jaws. A few seconds later, he has the thing in a secure lock. It continues to thrash and scream.
From somewhere overhead, you hear warning horns blow in the distance.
Parity sniffs, "Hmm ... it's an addict ... bad one, too."
Setting his teeth and drawing a small pouch from his cloak, Parity strides forward and leans in close, whispering in Tien as he talks in the creature's ear, "We'll make this simple, shut up and talk to us and I'll give you something to take care of your ... needs," he reaches in and balls up a small little pinch of something from his pouch and rolls it around in front of the creature's nose.
He continues, "But ... keep thrashing and screaming and I'll be sure to make you forget about your desires ... forever." He emphasizes the last by drawing six inches of steel and nicking the creature ever so slightly.
The creature's eyes watch Parity with fear and a deep hunger. It shapeshifts again, this time into the form of a Tian man, frail and thin, with a feverish complexion. He licks his lips and finally speaks. "Yes. I will be quiet. Just... just don't leave me dry."
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Heng frowns slightly at Parity's tactics. He thinks cutting the creature was a bit much, but he holds his tongue. Fear may save the creature's life.
As the poor deluded creature takes humanoid form, the monk eases his grip though he remains wary. "Quickly, tell us who dwells within this pavilion... and below it."
He glances up, "My kin and kind hold in the pagoda above, loyal to Akinosa. Below are the hobgoblins and the ja-noi, the oni and their filth." He says the last with considerable dislike written on his features.
"You will find them down that hole. They are barricaded in that place. We don't even try to breach it."
The man backs away warily, looking ready to flee, but held in place by a more compelling reason. He looks at Parity longingly.
"Is that all?"
"Maybe we could enlist the help of your leader in clearing this nest of hobgoblins and oni. How's that sound?"
He laughs but there is no mirth in it, and shakes his head. "Akinosa won't like that... won't like you. We don't go down there because we don't need to... and because we don't like dying."
Now where did Parity get that?
Harlan watches the questioning of the creature with interest.
"Is that the only way down there? Why do you live here? Are you related to that giant spider outside?"
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Heng glances at the webs above listening for activity. "Harlan, perhaps we should save those questions for later after we defeat the oni."
He speaks to the creature once again, "We share an enemy that is enough. Let Akinosa know that we seek only to destroy the oni and their followers. If you do not wish to aid us, at least stay back and let us take care of the evil spirits."
Heng begins descending by spiraling along the edge of the pit. He looks to the others, "Shall we proceed?"
"It's the only way I know of," he replies to Harlan, but his gaze continues to return to Parity. "You promised..."
Ate my post, damn it.
"I'm ready, Heng.
Parity takes the pinch of something and rolls it in a small bit of leaf and then tosses it to the creature, ""This for your help, as promised. The rest if we get out alive. Any aid you wish to provide in making that happen is welcome."
He catches the gift with determined agility, and responds with a smiling nod. "I will tell them your tale." He glaces upwards, then a moment later morphs into a spider and quickly retreats up into the web layers overhead.
Heng walks over to the throat of the pit, looking down. A warm breeze carrying the unpleasant smells of sweat, mold and manure wafts upward from the shaft. The way down is a spiral of very narrow, short stone steps carved into the wall of the shaft. It is completely dark within.
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"Parity and I should lead. The hobgoblins may be expecting us. Skygni can see as well as I in the dark. I propose that he stay back a short way with Harlan and Malnival until we are attacked. I would hold off on creating light until we must." Heng descends avoiding the stairs and continuing to air walk while it lasts.
Parity will airwalk just behind Heng, Suishen and shield drawn.
Malnival nods his head and moves behind Harlan.
Malnival holds his hand out to the Ulfen woman and grins. "See the places I take you my dear? Nothing but the best."
"Yes, stinking, trap-filled lairs of ewil spirits... My favorite," Kelda replies, smiling in return.
Harlan nods at Hengs plan and remounts Skygni.
I should get one of those ioun torches. I've heard they're fun. Maybe something to see in the dark instead. Why do they always hide in the dark? Is it metaphorical?
Heng leads everyone down the shaft. Without even the faintest light, navigating the tortuously narrow steps is a slow and painful process, seemingly endless without reference. Even those who can see (and Parity) need to tread carefully to avoid a deadly fall.
After a hundred feet or more, the dizzying descent finally ends and the steps broaden into huge, stone-flagged stairs that lead into a wide, smooth-walled chamber. The room widens as it slopes upward gradually to the northeast, ending at a vast wall of huge stone blocks. Rusting double iron doors, bristling with bloody spikes, offer the only passage through the wall. The wall stretches across the entire chamber, and reaches twenty feet up from floor to ceiling. Numerous arrow slits in the upper half overlook the approach to the wall.
The air is hot and rank with strong odors. Notably, two human men hang impaled on the door spikes. They weakly twitch and moan.