Quzman's face goes pale as he sees Ky fall to the worm's foul spear. He barely hears the cry as Dumah is crushed by the beast's tail. Knowing only cold fury at the pain inflicted on his friends and loved ones, Quzman stalks in towards the snake. "Your actions have shown you are beyond redemption. In the eyes of the Dawnflower, you are deemed accursed and must be destroyed before you blight on this world can grow. To the cold, cold earth you shall go..."
EDIT:
Quzman advances but his blows harmlessly crash into the invisible energy barrier surrounding the queen salamander. "You talk a lot, outlander, but your words don't back up your actions!" When Onyx falls, she looks up and screams, "I will skin your corpses and put them on my wall!" As Quzman looks at his animal companion, he sees the life about to leave its eyes....
Round 7:
Ataraxia realizes she is trapped against a wall and cannot use the longspear on Quzman since he is too close. She also can't move constricting the mage, so she drops Dumah to the floor and uncoils herself, moving with great agility to I21, before Quzman can react. She then lashes out with her spear, piercing the ranger's rib and electrifying him. She then speaks in Ignan to the flamebrother and since Dumah is down, no one understands what she says.
The flamebrother yells something back in Ignan and continues the attack on Jameena, but his pathetic attacks are easily blocked.
Quzman snarls in frustration at the snake, and grimaces in pain as he slowly stalks her around.
Jameena slashes in frustration at the fire-creature standing between her and her injured friends.
Possible crit (Keen scimitars rock):
Her scimitar slices neatly through the creature's defenses. Not even pausing to see if it still stands, Jameena moves towards the bodies lying still on the cave floor.
As she moves closer to Ataraxia, she gives the Salamander a cold glare and calls out "Dawnflower, lend me your might and I shall extinguish the fire of this evil being!"
Eli watches the stone beast go down, then rushes to face the flaming snake like leader of this cursed place. "Hold fast Sand Stalkers, the end is near! Courage and might is ours!"
Edit: was rolling stabilization, but you beat me to it. Thanks!
Round 8:
Ataraxia surveys the battlefield and sees Eli approaching within range of her longspear. "You there, so you're the Sand Stalkers, the thorn in the Gnoll King's side. Ha! He will reward me handsomely for killing you all, give me a better gift than that piece of slab." With that, the salamander queen thrusts her spear twice at Eli, the second time piercing and electrocuting the bard. She then slaps him with her tail, and Quzman sees the same scene play out as with Dumah, as Ataraxia envelops Eli and crushes his ribs, his screams piercing the air. She looks at Quzman, "My, we've been here before, haven't we? You watching as I crush the life from your friends!" Then her laughter drowns out Eli's screams!
The surviving flamebrother charges Jameena from behind, piercing her with his spear!
Eli strugles to break free of the witches coil. "Come on Quzman, dig deep....we....never.....fail!"
Quzman grimaces at the pain of the words from the snake queen, knowing the truth of them. He still steps forward to try and end her reign in the tunnels.
Quzman's first swipe digs deep into her flesh, wiping the smile off Ataraxia's face and ending her laughter abruptly, as she screams in pain. She looks at the ranger with rage in her eyes!
Staggered by the painful thrusts of the flamebrothers spear, Jameena feels her strength waver.
I must not fall! They need my help. Goddess, aid me.
Bolstered by the healing energy of the Dawnflower, Jameena moves closer to the fallen Sand stalkers, again ignoring the flamebrother besides her.
Once she is close enough to reach all of her allies with her pulse of healing energy, she lifts her holy symbol and calls once again upon the aid of Sarenrae.
Dawnflower, lend your healing grace to these heroes.
As the wave of healing flows over her and her allies, Jameena sighs, as if a great weight has been lifted from her shoulders. Determined, she turns to face Atraxia.
"Will someone please swat the gnat buzzing at my back, while I teach Ataraxia the same lesson I just taught to Onyx!"
Round 9:
Ataraxia screams in frustration as she sees the prone forms of the Sand Stalkers start to stir. "I don't care how many times I have to kill each of you, but you will all die today!" She releases Eli and takes a 5' step to G19 and thrusts her spear twice at the freshly healed Quzman, shocking him both times, causing him to scream in pain, until he can no longer proceed and drops, his weapons clanging on the stone floor! She then tail slaps Eli, drawing fresh blood from the bard, but does not envelop him!
The remaining flamebrother charges at Jameena, but she sees his attack at the last second and deflects his blow away!
With the monster standing directly beside him, Ty dared not risk attempting to get to his feet. He lie there quiet as a mouse, hoping that she would not realize that he was no longer on death's door.
Eli feels the healing power of the Dawnflower warm him, then the tail slap knocks him back to reality . Leaping forward with Tempest raised Eli stabs at Ataraxia, with a duck and a weave. "There will only be one death this day, yours!"
Jameena ducks under the reach of Ataraxia's longspear, and slashes furiously at the vile outsider.
Edit: Crit threat:
As her blade slices into Ataraxia, Jameena smiles a cold smile, and then expends her last divine healing, in anticipation of the inevitable counter-attack.
Quickly assessing the situation, Dumah ignores his fallen club and struggles to his feet, smoke still wisping off of his scorched clothing and skin.
He pulls himself along a couple of painful paces, aligning himself for one last effort to end this struggle. Hoping Jameena's garish style keeps the salamanders' attention, Dumah focuses away the pain for moments; just long enough to call on his most powerful evocation. As he finishes the casting, he mutters, Let's see how you like some electricity, B1+ch!
Dumah stands, steps to G22 and casts Lightning Bolt, aiming it up the G row to get both salamanders.
Damage , reflex save DC 17 for half damage.
Ataraxia falls for Eli's feint, allowing the crafty rogue to skewer her with his weapon. Then, before she can react, from the opposite side, she feels the powerful smite from Jameena, which severs part of her spinal cord and spins her around. As she coughs up blood and starts to feel that the end is near, she looks up to see the improbable burned figure of the mage arise with difficulty. All that escapes her mouth, through the blood, is "How? I crushed you...", before her sentence is cut short by the powerful stroke of lightning that leaves a 2-foot hole through her abdominal cavity, as she collapses to the floor, her spear clanging on the floor this time! The bolt proceeds to kill the remaining flamebrother as well.
Suddenly, numerous cheers are heard, as the party looks to the side and sees Lasserak and his brothers rushing in from the eastern corridor. He smiles and says, "We came rushing once we heard Onyx' death cry. Guess you didn't need any back-up?"
"No, we were in complete control the whole time," Ty laughs, still prone on the ground, presumably laying in a pool of his own blood. "No problems at all," he reiterates as he awkwardly gets to his feet with a bit of a stumble.
Jameena stands panting over the smoldering corpse of Ataraxia. She pushes the bloodstained hair out of her eyes and looks over at the limp form of Quzman.
"Eli, quickly....help him. I have spent the last of the Dawnflowers healing gifts."
Only then does she seem to register the presence of Lasserak and his followers. She straightens, held up mostly by will alone and says in a calm, low voice. "As you can see, Noble Lasserak - the Sand Stalkers keep their promises. Evil has been cleansed from these caves, but not without cost."
Jameena glances at the unconcious Quzman and the body of the brave Ky.
Eli kneels by his good friend, pulls out his wand with the curative power and touches it to Quzman's forehead where the mark of Sarenrae is.
"We need to get out of this heat, before it takes it's toll on Dumah."
Can someone check down the tunnel to make sure all is well, and anything of value is recovered? Dumah will cast Detect Magic on the fallen, pointing out to the others anything that that radiates.
Pardon me, friends. I need to step away a bit. Dumah will recover his club and make his way a short way down the corridor, until there is sufficient stone between him and the lava tunnel to allow him to breath easier, or at least so he's not scorching his lungs with each breath.
There, he'll lean against the wall and slowly slide to the floor, keeping a watch in the tunnel past the sweat rolling down his face.
Lasserak hears the group speak among themselves. "Yes, the Sand Stalkers do keep their word. I am sorry for your loss, it looks to have been a tough fight for all involved." Lasserak gives some orders in Ignan and his flamebrothers start to drag off the dead salamanders and pieces of Onyx one at a time down the lava tube corridor. Out of respect, they do not touch Ky's corpse. Before they take her body away, Lasserak gives Jameena Ataraxia's longspear and pulls a ring off her finger. "Spoils of war, as they say in your tongue." Both detect as magical to Dumah. Whomever has fire resistance and wishes can follow Lasserak and his salamanders down the lava tube, where the heat is unbearable as there is a pool of magma. The flamebrothers dump the dead bodies into the lava, where they soon disappear forever. Lasserak jumps into the lava and swims to a small rocky isle in the middle and grabs some gemstones from a pile laying on solid ground. He swims back to the party. "She won't be needing these anymore." He hands some to Jameena, all of which look very valuable. You still see a bunch of gemstones laying on the island. "Need some funds for my tenure as king, no?" He smiles. "When you are ready, the portal to the Gnoll King's lair lies on the other side of the pool. We can ferry you over, if needed." He stares at the magma pool and at his flamebrothers and soaks in the oppressive heat. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" The flamebrothers cheer his name and his new rule.
"Now, my honored guests, please follow me." Lasserak leads the party back to his former section of the cavern, to a pit abnormally cool, around 80 degrees. 'You can rest there, we use it to punish our kind, but it should be perfect for you."
Dumah will take a few minutes to try and identify the ring and spear
Ring identify
Spear identify
+2 to the above for Evocation, -5 if Illusion or Necromancy.
Can he appraise the gems as well?
Appraise
Is it safe to assume we all need Resist Fire again to safely be ferried across the lava lake?
Dumah will take a few minutes to try and identify the ring and spear.
Ring of energy resistance, minor (cold)
5 black diamonds, each worth 1000 gp
Yes, all except Jameena
After resting, Dumah's new memorized spells are:
Spells Memorized:
0 Level (4): Detect Magic, Light, Ray of Frost, Presdigitation (each usable nine times daily)
1st Level (4+1): Endure Elements, Mage Armor, Shield, Magic Missile*, Magic Missile*
2nd Level (4+1): Resist Energy, Resist Energy, Resist Energy, Resist Energy, Flaming Sphere*
3rd Level (3+1): Haste, Haste, Elemental Aura, Lightning Bolt*
When rising for the day, he will cast Endure Elements on himself, letting out a deep sigh at the relief from the heat.
Dumah stays a bit clear of Quzman after the loss of Ky. He's uncertain what to say or how to act toward the man experiencing the death of his companion.
Before Eli beds down for the night, he will take the time to heal himself first with his own magic and then the wand as needed. Then he will seek out Quzman grab him in a strong embrace and say, "We lost a valiant friend and ally today, and through her sacrifice we were victorious. Trust me I know that hearing that, even saying that, is not taking away the sting in our hearts. Ky will be missed greatly, but her memory lives in us as she lives with the gods. With your permission I will compose an epic in her memory and when we return to Kelmerane will will celebrate and honor her life properly." Eli will wipe tears from his eyes and sit with Quzman for as long as it takes.
, ,
, , ,
When the group is done resting, Dumah casts Endure Elements on himself. When the group is being escorted to the lava lake to be ferried across, Dumah will cast Resist Energy (Fire) on Quzman, Eli, Tyronel and himself.
When he has a moment, Eli will take the wand of healing and help heal the rest of the group.
Jameena volunteers for the first watch, standing a silent vigil over her injured friends. In the night, she clearly feels the presence of Sarenrae strengthen her, as if the goddess is pleased with the actions of her chosen warrior.
Feeling the cold healing of Eli's wand coursing through his body, easing the physical damage done by salamander queen, he rouses himself from where he fell. Upon seeing Ky's blasted body Quzman doubles over in pain from a wound no simple wand will be able to cure. Quzman finally looks up, and nods solemnly Eli after his proposal is made, tears streaking his dirty face. "Ky liked the sound of your voice very much. She told me so on occasions when I was able to pray to Sarenrae for the gift of the language of wolves. I think she would like to hear your words on the air someday speaking of her trials. It would help me to remember the good times, and not just this memory.", as he glances back over to Ky's still form.
While recovering that evening before watches, Quzman would ask to speak with Lasserak. "I do not know as I will be able to continue with the earthly remains of my companion on the trek. Normally, she would have been cremated, and her ashes spread on the wind at dawn. However, I believe the fires of your pool would burn away any impurities and allow her travel the skies of the dawn in peace. Would you allow us the honor of putting Ky's mortal coil in the healing flames of your pool?"
If Lasserak permits, Quzman will say a prayer for Ky the next morning at dawn, and solemnly carry her as close to the lava as possible due to the heat. "Would one of your people be so kind as to finish her journey please?" With bowed head he waits until nothing is left visible of Ky, before he will slowly turn and walk away silently weeping for the friend he lost...again.
After her morning prayes, Jameena grasps Ataraxia's magic longspear and approaches Lasserak.
"Noble Lasserak. We are almost ready to depart. But before we go, I have a proposition for you. None of our warriors are skilled in using the longspear. And since it was the weapon of your previous leader, it might serve as a valuable trophy for you to carry, reminding your people of your might. Would you be willing to trade this spear in return for more of the gems - or perhaps other magic items, if you have them?"