Sekathral looks slightly frightened
"Stone or no, mates, whatever it is, it's still ****ing breathing. Let's get out of here before the bugger wakes up!"
Heal
"Alive? Are you sure, Sekathral?" Kyson tries to confirm Dr. Pirate's diagnosis. "Wow. Huh. Interesting."
Kyson steps back to think.
"Is it because the god that did this wants a lasting memory of their miracles? Or serve as a lasting reminder? I wonder."
Kyson isn't sure. He hears the sloshing noises, but that could be anything. Possibly his own stomach.
Kyson leaves the stone creature and, on the appropriate morning, will leave and be better prepared for handling the trevails of the trip deeper down into the Underdarklands.
Your excursion complete, Vertram and his fellows wish you well, returning to Barbas as you continue your descent, sloping back down again deeper into the surface of the island.
As you near the end of the day, the "demon fish" some 15 miles behind you, you realize that Irgzid seems to be growing more and more excited.
Khazmia:
Kyson:
Linah:
Sekathral:
Zstelian:
Antagonist:
Sekathral turns to the trog, glaring at him through narrowed eyes.
"What's got into you, mate?"
"Oh, well, we are getting close. This is almost where my people met the Lords of Dread," Irgzid says.
Kyson gives a look to Irgzid, and begins to ready his preparations. He comes over to lay his holy hands on Sekathral, trying to protect him from the degradations to come.
Sense Motive
Kyson is ready to move on.
Sekathral, tingling with magical energy, prepares his weapons.
"You don't get to be a ****ing Lord of bloody Dread by being a good sodding neighbour", he mutters, glaring into the darkness.
Khazmia uses her wand to cast mage armor on herself, having cast tongues.
Linah asks for a weapon from Sekathral and one from Zstelian. She chants a prayer in her native tongue over the two blades to imbue them with the grace of the Dawnflower.
You continue to get closer, Irgzid getting more and more excited over the next mile, until the tunnel walls change suddenly from rough natural stone to an intricately carved corridor bearing glyphs and mosaics of Olman design, then open into an immense flooded chamber.
The walls of the square chamber rise up in steps, forming an inverted ziggurat with an apex 40 feet above the dark waters that flood the room to just below the edge of the entrance. The floor is a ruin of smashed pillars and small islands constructed in the same roughly pyramidal fashion. In the center, a line of destroyed columns and altars protrude a few feet above the surface, creating a makeshift bridge that dips briefly into the water before reaching the continuing passage on the far side.
Irgzid calls out as you enter, "I have brought you the heroes you asked for, father! What do you wish of them?" and a moment later the ghostly visage of a troglodyte wrapped in vestments appears on the far side of the chamber.
"You have done well, child," it responds in Draconic. "Welcome, strangers, I am Olatekek, one of the tortured spirits of this realm."
Kyson observes spirit with one hand near his holy symbol, wondering what is happening.
Know (Religion)
"Why are you still here? Why have you not found Pharasma's embrace? If you point me to your body, I will take you the surface and give your spirit to Sarenrae to guide you to rest, Olatekek," Kyson questions and offers.
Khaz arches a brow at the use of Draconic with the spirit, but does not speak just yet. Still, she listens, very carefully.
"Ghosts and ****ing fish. Nothing but ghosts and ****ing fish. It's like being back on the docks in ****ing Geb"
Sekathral mutters to himself, loosening his blade in its scabbard as he does so.
"I am trapped here, but the magic of our own doing. Our bodies are long gone, taken in the magic to hold back the water, but it holds us here as well."
Kyson listens, thanking Khaz for translating.
"But...how do we fix you? And how did you create this waterwall? Can we rescue you and keep the wall?"
Kyson looks around.
"Would breaking the wall stop the jerks from making more of those green pearls? That's what we want, right?"
Kyson considers casting Dispel Magic right then and there, as if that might do the trick.
"Sadly, no, the wall keeps up here, bound up in its magics. The threat the wall was designed to stop is long gone, destroyed in the creation, but it lingers and holds us here. You must go to Golismorga, deeper in the earth, and undo these magics," the spirit says. "This should disrupt the production of the black pearls, for if the caverns are flooded, they cannot continue."
"It is still a day's walk from here, perhaps a little more," the spirit answers. "I was not privy to all the workings off the magic, so I cannot tell you all you wish you know. The curtain is somehow connected to Tlaloc, the god of rain, and is anchored in Golismorga, but what keeps it there, I cannot say."
Linah looks at the spirit with eyes full of pity. The caves underneath the island held almost nothing but despair and lament, with the settlement of Barbas being a welcomed exception. "How far are you able to travel? Have you seen any of these lords of dread with your own eyes?", Linah asks the specter.
The ghost shakes its head at the old Varisian's question.
"If there is anything buried down here, I no longer know of it," he replies. "Much was lost in the creation of the curtain, and I don't know what supplies or items remain from the war. It is possible some things remain."
"I can not travel from here, I am afraid," the spirit trog replies to Linah. "I have seen these Lords of Dread, though. They are horrible creatures, and the world will be a better place when they are no longer in it."
Kyson thinks of whatever questions he should be asking, but fails to find much.
"What do you know of the creators of the pearls? Do they fight with weapons or magic? Fire or ice or water? How can we beat them? What do they not like?"
"I know little, I am afraid. They are strange creatures, with a humanoid upper body, but an eel-like lower. Tentacles surround their mouths. I have seen them only when they come here to trade the pearls, and they have not needed to fight my people. I suspect they must be powerful spellcasters, however, considering what they create."
"When you have observed them trading with your people, what have you seen?", Linah asks. "Are there always the same number? Is it always the same creatures? Do they seem organized by rank or do they hold everybody equal? Have you picked up any names? What do they speak of during the transactions? How do they transport the pearls? What do they demand in payment?"
Khazmia continues to translate, but has little to offer on her own.
Kyson is ready to move on.
The spirit explains that the troglodtyes come and wait for the Lords of Dread, who usually arrive in a group of four. He's not sure if they're the same every time or how they determine rank. One usually crosses over and delivers the pearls -- encased in something they call blightstone -- to his people while the others stand guard. They stake slaves from the troglodytes, and store them in a magical black circle before departing.
Likely a portable hole.
Curiosity sated, you make your way through the flooded chamber, the troglodyte spirit watching as you go. The path continues to descend, miles passing under your feet as you head yet deeper into the depths.
After about 17 miles, spread over two days , the passageway opens into a roughly circular cavern. A 10-foot-wide ledge runs across the northern and southern faces of the room, with a passage leading away from each. Graceful arcs of natural stone bridge the two ledges in three places, though the easternmost bridge has collapsed in the center, leaving a 5-foot-wide gap. Above, the ceiling rises up nearly 40 feet, while below the ground drops away an equal distance into a rubble-strewn gulf. What appears to be six immense petrified fish lie on the floor of the crevice. The sound of whispering wells up from below, and the ground looks like it's almost moving.
Khazmia:
Kyson:
Linah:
Sekathral:
Zstelian:
Antagonist:
Below, you spot several arachnid-like creatures about the size of a horse clambering on the walls. Reminding you of the thing you fought way back on the Blue Nixie what seems like years ago but three times its size, they have brown and yellow striped bodies, with terrible discs studded with dozens of hooked suckers on the ends of the first set of 10 legs. Their oversized heads are dominated by twin pairs of vertically sanpping black mandibles the size of scimitars.
Khazmia:
Kyson:
Linah:
Sekathral:
Zstelian:
Antagonist:
Round 1, Init 12
Kyson freezes, looking at the monstrosities with narrowed eyes.
"Those look familiar, right? We...we...killed a small one?" Kyson asks, trying to get confirmation.
Kyson prays to Sarenrae for help against these abominations, casting Blessing of Fervor.
Blessing:Each round for the duration of this spell, each of your allies can choose one of the following bonuses for that round at the beginning of its turn (their choice).
- Increase its speed by 30 feet.
- Stand up as a swift action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
- Make one extra attack as part of a full attack action, using its highest base attack bonus.
- Gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.
- Cast a single spell of 2nd level or lower as if it were an enlarged, extended, silent, or still spell.
They're blackfang rhagodessas, a type of monstrous vermin.
Round 1, init 24
Sekathral bides his time, waiting until the creatures engage and then giving them both barrels
Linah takes a few sure steps out into the cavern and awaits the charge of the creatures, ready to strike back when they get close. ”Stay behind me, I shall try to keep them occupied.”
Khazmia: 17
Kyson: 12
Zstelian: 10
Linah: 9
Sekathral: 24
Antagonist: 7
Khazmia casts, and a ball of lightning appears next to each of the three creatures, giving each a minor shock.
Kyson calls down the blessing of his god, followed a moment later by Irgzid, who asks for Laogzed's blessing for all of you.
Zstelian also casts as Linah takes up a defensive posture, Sekathral also edging forward. The creatures rush forward, two of them close enough to strike at Linah, who dances forward and slashes at the first even as Sekathral blasts it. Linah's rush lets her avoid the nearest creature's pedipalp, but the second wraps its limb around her and leans in, mandibles closing painfull on her flesh.
BR1: 5
BR2: 25
BR3: 5
Linah cries out in pain as the mandibles close around her ankle. She strikes down at the creature holding her while trying to push away the pain.
Round 2, Init 12
Kyson inspires his friends to greater heights Heroism:+2 morale to attacks, saves, & skill checks.
"Let them come to us, Linah! Don't get surrounded!"
Kyson summons a ball of fire and tosses it at the most wounded baddie.
touch hit; (BoF,Inspire,-Cover,-Combat)
fire damage.
Blessing:Each round for the duration of this spell, each of your allies can choose one of the following bonuses for that round at the beginning of its turn (their choice).
- Increase its speed by 30 feet.
- Stand up as a swift action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
- Make one extra attack as part of a full attack action, using its highest base attack bonus.
- Gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.
- Cast a single spell of 2nd level or lower as if it were an enlarged, extended, silent, or still spell.
Heroism:+2 morale to attacks, saves, & skill checks.
AC: 21 (4 armor, 3 dex, 4 shield)
HP: 80/80
Light the Candle 1/9 used
Channel (6d6) 0/5 used
Heroism 1/11 rounds used
Rod Extend 0/3 used
Rod Reach 0/3 used
Wand CLW 3/50 used
Left hand: Shield
Right hand: empty
touch hit;
fire damage.
Round 2, init 24
Sekathral drops into a forward roll, shooting past Linah's antagonist , then, as he straightens up behind it, drawing his two rapiers in one smooth movement and stabbing down at it.
Khazmia: 17
Kyson: 12
Zstelian: 10
Linah: 9
Sekathral: 24
Antagonist: 7
Kyson's ball of fire misses the nearest creature, as Khazmia concentrates and lures the lightning balls closer to the vicious creatures. She casts again, and hits the creature holding Linah with two blasts of fire.
Zstelian steps forward, blades flashing and drawing ichor time and again from the arachnid-like creature in front of him. Stunned for a moment by Kayle's attack, it tentatively stretches out a pedalpalp toward the old ranger, but he's easily able to duck under it.
Held tight, Linah tries to follow Zstelian's lead but hits just a glancing blow that the creature barely seems to notice. Sekathral takes advantage of its focus on the desert paladin and ducks beneath the massive creature's body, driving his blades into it.
The two remaining creatures bite at Linah, one holding on to the Saraenite, and draw yet more blood from the young woman, who passes out from the weight of her injuries.
BR1: 60
BR2: 106
BR3: 5
Round 3, Init 12
Kyson continues to inspire.
Kyson summons a ball of fire and tosses it at the most wounded baddie.
touch hit; (BoF,Inspire,-Cover,-Combat)
fire damage.
Blessing:Each round for the duration of this spell, each of your allies can choose one of the following bonuses for that round at the beginning of its turn (their choice).
- Increase its speed by 30 feet.
- Stand up as a swift action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
- Make one extra attack as part of a full attack action, using its highest base attack bonus.
- Gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.
- Cast a single spell of 2nd level or lower as if it were an enlarged, extended, silent, or still spell.
Heroism:+2 morale to attacks, saves, & skill checks.
AC: 21 (4 armor, 3 dex, 4 shield)
HP: 80/80
Light the Candle 1/9 used
Channel (6d6) 0/5 used
Heroism 2/11 rounds used
Rod Extend 0/3 used
Rod Reach 0/3 used
Wand CLW 3/50 used
Left hand: Shield
Right hand: empty
touch hit;
fire damage.
Linah gasps as combined mandibles close in and lapses into unconsciousness, hanging limply in the jaws of the hideous creatures.. Her scimitar slips out of her grip and the dull warm light slowly fades from the blade.
Round 3, init 24
Sekathral shifts focus, moving over to attack the monster still leeching life from Linah
round 3, Init 17
Khazmia calls her balls of lightning to reposition back onto the creatures, then fires off a series of force missiles at the one closest to the slumping Linah.