Rolen pops out from the shadows and fires again at the robed man.
Rolen quickly ducks back into the shadows seeking a location to snipe from.
Koralyn cast a spell that blurs her outline and begins her battle dance. advancing she looks ready to engage any spearmen who do not fall to the sleep spell.
Kierdan speaks a holy word of command and one of the spear-wielding cultists seizes up, unable to move. The other shakes off the magic, but topples to the ground unconscious, along with the remaining two cultists, as Alistair's sleep spell takes effect.
With the cultists immobilized or unconscious, Eldramin has a clear view to direct his conjured sword at the wight, slashing through its studded leather armor to the rotten flesh beneath. Rolen's arrow goes wildly off target, as Koralyn moves up past the immobile cultists, her form shimmering and shifting as she dances.
Following close behind, Dragomir charges the spear-and-shield-armed warrior, trying to end things quickly as he hacks with powerful, two-handed blows at his foe. The gladiator manages to get his shield up in time to parry the first attack but the second attack connects, blood dripping from a serious wound.
Even so, he appears ready for an extended fight, and quickly counter-attacks. Dragomir blocks the first thrust of the spear but the second catches his shoulder . He's able to leap back to avoid the shield bash that follows.
Unimpressed by the magic shrouding Koralyn, the wight attacks the elf, wielding its shattered sword like a whip as the dark energy holding the shards together allows it to twist and flail. Despite its flexibility, the snaking blade is unable to connect with Koralyn as she twists and turns in her battle dance.
Beyond, in the embalming chamber, the shortbow-armed assassins rise from behind the stone tables and fire. One targets Koralyn and fails to hit, but the other sinks an arrow deep into Dragomir's flank while he's distracted by the flickering spear of his opponent.
Both assassins drop back out of sight. The hooded priest also stays out of view, but you can hear him intoning the words of a spell as a flickering shape begins to materialize nearby.
The priest is casting the guardian of faith spell. Since it's a 4th level spell, Koralyn will need to make a spellcasting roll (1d20+proficiency bonus+Intelligence mod) to negate it with counterspell.
~~~~~0~~~0~~~~~
Rolen pops out from the shadows and fires again at the robed man.
Rolen quickly ducks back into the shadows seeking a location to snipe from.
While focusing on maintaining his hold on the cultist in front of him, Kierdan sees Dragomir take two brutal hits and the priest grows concerned that the big warrior may be overwhelmed by these crazed followers. Kierdan quickly mutters a prayer to Pelor, reaching out to Dragomir with his Healing Word.
Alistair fires a number of magical darts at the wight attacking Koralyn.
Magic Missile (2nd Level):
Eldramin sends his blade at the sight while blasting it in an attempt to knock it back.
Rolen's arrow skitters off the stone table the hooded priest is hiding behind, even as a large spectral serpent rises nearby, seeming to stand at attention. You remember Abramo, the priest in Orlane, summoning a similar guardian that struck at anyone who drew near.
Kierdan calls down healing on Dragomir, as Alistair and Eldramin focus a sustained assault on the wight. The warlock's spirit blade fails to connect, his eldritch blast strikes at the same time as Alistair's magic missiles, badly wounding the wight and knocking it back against one of the stone tables. The double impact knocks it off its feet.
Roaring in pain, Dragomir launches a flurry of blows as he renews his own assault on the gladiator. . Two bone-breaking blows land before the warrior gets his shield up to block a third. Before he can recover, Dragomir brings his axe around in a low cut that bloodies the man's leg, as well.
Badly wounded now, the gladiator reacts instinctively, jabbing his spear and swinging his shield in a broad arc, but none of the attacks land.
The wight manages to stagger to its feet, as well, lashing out with its whiplike blade at Koralyn. Neither of its attacks strike the blurred form of the dancing mage.
Farther back, the two assassins rise again to fire arrows at Dragomir and Koralyn, but the shots are rushed and neither comes close to drawing blood.
Snarling in frustration, the hooded priest rises, too, spitting out the baleful syllables of a prayer before hurling a sickly green ray of energy at Koralyn, whose skin peels away as the beam lances through her defenses and envelops her flesh.
~~~~~0~~~0~~~~~
Rolen pops out from the shadows and fires again at the wight, trying to end the creature.
Rolen quickly ducks back into the shadows seeking a location to snipe from.
Koralyn seems to collapse on herself when the sickly green ray hits her. She ages and withers and her skin smokes and she screams. Shaking herself she stands strait and hopes the caster does not have another such spell as she attacks the wight again.
Eldramin's blade keeps slashing at the wight while he uses his eldritch blast against the warrior fighting Koralyn. She appears to have enough on her plate following that green ray.
Kierdan continues to focus on maintaining his hold over the cultist in front of him. He looks on in horror as a putrid green ray strikes Koralyn. Kierdan immediately blurts out a quick prayer to Pelor, this time reaching out to Koralyn with his Healing Word.
Alistair once again fires mystic darts at the wight.
Magic Missile:
Rolen leans out from his hiding place and fires another arrow at the hooded priest, but the missile again fails to pierce the heavy chain beneath the man's robes.
Still unused to the balance of her new blade, Koralyn at first has no better luck as she slashes at the wight. In agonizing after being struck by the priest's blight spell, she lands a desperate blow that caves in the wight's head. The animating light in its eyes immediately dims and it crumples to the ground, its shattered blade sparking as it collapses in a heap.
Eldramin shifts targets, directing his spiritual weapon against the gladiator fighting Dragomir, but the veteran warrior knocks it away. His eldritch blast against the priest also flies awry. Alistair, too, redirects his attack after the wight falls, and his magic missiles finally blood the priest.
The magically held cultists remain restrained or asleep as Kierdan casts healing magic on Koralyn.
Next to her, Dragomir continues his attack on the suddenly overmatched gladiator. With one vicious strike he nearly severs his foe's spear arm at the elbow. Maimed, the gladiator raises his shield to block the killing blow, but is half a second too slow. Sliding past, Dragomir buries his axe in the man's skull.
Seemingly oblivious to the approaching danger, the two enemy archers continue sniping at Dragomir, thought without the distraction created by the gladiator their attacks are less dangerous. One arrow pierces Dragomir's splint armor, but it's barely more than a flesh wound.
Seeming to grasp his impending doom, the hooded priest screams in frustration, gesturing wildly at the serpent statue behind it.
"I have served the Mistress faithfully -- she will not let me fall!" he screams, spittle flying as he spews forth the words of another spell. An amber flash of light streaks from his hands and burns into Dragomir's side, leaving behind traces of glittering light that illuminate the cracks in his armor.
~~~~~0~~~0~~~~~
"And now, priest, your service has come to a close." Eldramin says, redirecting the entirety of his attentions to the priest.
Rolen pops out from the shadows and fires again at the hooded priest.
Rolen quickly ducks back into the shadows seeking a location to snipe from.
Koralyn goes hunting for the archers. She uses her misty step to jump most of the way to the enemy and the moves to find one of them. Once she finds one she attacks.
Maintaining his concentration on keeping the cultist held in place, Kierdan beckons with his hand at the hooded priest. As he does so, a flame-like radiance descends on the cretin.
Alistair, seeing that his magic missiles damaged the hidden priest, decides to overpower the darts and fires them at the figure of the priest.
Magic Missile (3rd level):
With the gladiator and wight dispatched, Eldramin turns his attention to the priest, but neither his spirit blade nor eldritch blast damages the heavily-armored priest, who continues to use the stone tables as cover.
Rolen, however, finally locks in his aim and buries a feathered shaft in the priest's shoulder, eliciting a howl of pain that is repeated as Kierdan and Alistair target the hooded man with their own spells.
Koralyn moves the short distance into the embalming chamber. She doesn't immediately spot either of the hidden assassins -- until the violet blade of her sword seems to thrum, and she suddenly knows one is behind her. She whirls, slashing the man as he stabs at her with his shortsword. His partner flanks her, the positioning negating the benefit of her blur spell. Even so, neither is able to land a blow as Koralyn twists and leaps in her bladesong.
Dragomir advances, cutting down the assassin Koralyn had wounded with two broad strokes of his axe.
Less than 30 feet away now, the hooded priest spits out another spell. His hand glows darkly before he grabs one of the sleeping hostages by the face. The prisoner visibly shrinks and shrivels, his life force drained to heal the priest's own wounds.
Healed =2
~~~~~0~~~0~~~~~
Rolen pops out from the shadows and fires again at the hooded priest.
Rolen quickly ducks back into the shadows seeking a location to snipe from.
Karolyn tries to take down the wounded assassin quickly before they can penetrate her defenses, making two swift attacks.
Praying to whatever god might be listening, Alistair prepares his final spell, and sends another barge of magical missiles at the priest.
Magic Missile (3rd level):
Back to the Abyss with you, desecrator! Kierdan shouts as he point towards the hooded priest. A flash of light streaks towards the evil man.
To his allies nearby, he says, "Take care, I know that spell. He will keep draining those people."
Rolen's arrow again flies wide of the priest, as does Kierdan's guiding bolt.
Facing off with the surviving assassin, Koralyn slashes high and then low with the purple blade, its ensorceled edge easily parting the man's leather armor. Wounded, he stumbles back -- right into Dragomir's axe. The first strike drives the assassin to his knees, the second splits his skull in two.
As the falls, the swarm of Alistair's magic missiles fills the air before burrowing into the gaps in the hooded priest's chainmail armor. Gasping, he reaches for another unconscious victim ... then crumples as Eldramin's eldritch blast slams into his neck, burning away hood and flesh as it strikes with enough force to snap the priest's neck. As he, too, falls, the spectral serpent dissipates.
You are victorious. Four unconscious or held cultists remain, along with all but one of the nine unconscious captives.
A quick search of the dead cultists yields several items of interest. Although none of the rank-and-file cultists carried anything of value, the priest wore a heavy gold pendant carved in the now-familiar shape of the reptile goddess. Although non-magical, it is likely worth a great deal of money. (200 gp). He also carried in his pocket a round iron disc, about as big around as an ale mug and about two inches thick. One side of the disc is carved into an intricate set of teeth, like the end of a key, while the other has a small but sturdy ring protruding from it.
One of the assassins wore a pair of black leather bracers that detect as magical.
The gladiator's shield carries a curious inscription on the inner rim, and casts off a noticeable magical aura when examined with detect magic
In addition to embalming chemicals and implements used either for torture or dissection, you find a few bottles of wine and some moldering food. Another door opens into a stairwell leading up, presumably toward the entrance to the surface.
In addition to the items above, you notice that the shattered pieces of the wight's sword are not entirely inert. Sparks of magical energy bloom between the pieces whenever Alistair, Koralyn or Eldramin draws near, and the shards reform into an approximation of a blade when any of the three picks up the hilt. It radiates palpable magical energy.
An exacting search locates two more items of note: A iron box, hidden under one of the embalming tables. It is locked; a silver engraving of a serpent eating its tail surrounds the keyhole.
Additionally, inspection of the stone statue of the naga behind the altar reveals that it pivots, sliding away to reveal what appears to be a stone trapdoor. A circle cut out of the middle of the door would appear to match up with the iron plug the priest carried.
Rolen begins to search diligently.
Rolen points out the sbove to everyone.
Koralyn helps with the search, placing items she finds on the floor. It looks like this is some sort of key to the stone plug there. We have a way forward if we dare. Do we rest, regain spells, and take care of these prisoners, or do we go down immediately? I could go now but worry that some of you have exhausted much of your magical resources.
Rolen begins to search diligently.
[dice=Perception]1d20+7
Rolen points out the sbove to everyone.
Alistair nods wearily to Koralyn.
"My magic is spent for the time! I will need a full rest to regain my abilities."
"I am fine either way. That is a fantastic blade. The shield and bracers are interesting, as well."
Take it if you like it. I am content with my new blade. Karolyn says.
Kierdan helps with searching the room:
Kierdan agrees with Alistair, My power is greatly diminished, as well. A long rest would be welcome. Also, many of us are wounded.
Fine by me. If no one objects, I would like the Ring of Jumping.
Rolen sets the locked box before him and sets to work. He first examines it for any traps.
He will then seek to disable any identified traps and pick the lock.
"Well I can at least deal with some of the injuries to our little group before you expend too much of your priestly power Keirdan. Come let me get my needle and gut out and see what I can do to knit us back together!"
Healer:
Rolen finds no evidence the metal box is trapped, but the lock is damnably complicated ...
The engraved pattern is familiar, however ... and after digging through the group's bag of holding, Rolen locates the silver key Dragomir recovered from the "fish pond" earlier. The design on the key's handle matches the lock almost exactly, and the box opens with a click as the key is inserted. Inside is a strand of beads, like those the followers of some faiths use in prayer. The strand radiates magic.
Rolen snaps his fingers after a moment, and he pulls the key from their loot, inserting it into the lock. He hands the beeds to Alistair.
These will likely require some study if they hold magical properties.
Rolen puts tje ring of jumping on one of his fingers.
Healing Koralyn:
Healing Keirdan:
Healing Rolen:
Healing Eldramin:
Healing Dragomir:
"Lets confine those sleeping cultists before they awake and attempt to escape. We should also interrogate them...this seemed to be a major group. Maybe these were the direct companions of the naga?"
Koraly thanks Alistair for tending her wounds and lends a hand securing the cultists before they break free or wake up.