Once again, one of Jade's arrows hit the slowly healing guardian while the other goes wide in her attempt to avoid hitting the angry barbarian to make him more angry. Instead, Blanmieux's wrath is focused on the remaining defender as its morningstar hammers against the Kellid's face.
Kivuli steps up to the aasimar as his wand slides gracefully into his hand."This will take a minute or so, but all me am have at the now. Some say it is dark healing, but it will stop the bleeding. Unless you not want it..."He waits for Crios' affirmation before activating the magic held with in and taps it to the arcane warriors chest.
UMD:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
Marking off one charge of Infernal Healing if Crios wants it.
Aasimar Staff Magus/Monk/Occultist 7: HP: 51/51 DR 5/blunt | AC 23(24),16T,18(19)FF, CMD:24 | Fort:+10*(15vs poison/disease) Ref:+8 Will:+8 | Init:+7, Perception:+11 | Arcane Pool: 4/7 |Mental Focus 5/6 |Condition:| Effects: Resist Energy 5 vs Acid/Cold/Electricity(Celestial), defending bone, barkskin,mage armor,antitoxin, antiplague
Kivuli would have seen Crios use his own similar wand earlier in this very scenario, so he shouldn't worry about waiting.
"Thank you very much Kivuli." Crios says as he rushes over to help the librarian. Sliding in beside the larger man, Crios attacks the remaining guardian, sparing another portion of his magic to assure he connects.
The combination of Jade and Keriassa does indeed do the trick, each landing one arrow in the stone creature causing it to topple.
COMBAT OVER!
Crios 25/38hp, 9 rounds infernal healing left
Professor 34/58hp
Blanmieux 54/83hp
A rumbling in the ground continues to grow. You suspect that more reinforcements are drawing closer. But for now, the orb is undefended.
You each have another set of actions to try and crack the puzzle orb, and can take an additional 2 rounds worth of actions to heal.
Reminder of the skills: Appraise, Disable Device, Knowledge Religion, Use Magic Device, an Intelligence check, or a Wisdom check. Possible, but trickier: another Knowledge skill, or Linguistics or Perception
Also, feel free to position yourselves where you like around the orb.
The Professor takes a breath and sits down for the briefest of moment before moving to tend to his injuries, which seems to carry the side benefit of healing everyone else nearby.
24hp to heal for Professor and 19 for Blam - we'll do some channels.
Aasimar Staff Magus/Monk/Occultist 7: HP: 51/51 DR 5/blunt | AC 23(24),16T,18(19)FF, CMD:24 | Fort:+10*(15vs poison/disease) Ref:+8 Will:+8 | Init:+7, Perception:+11 | Arcane Pool: 4/7 |Mental Focus 5/6 |Condition:| Effects: Resist Energy 5 vs Acid/Cold/Electricity(Celestial), defending bone, barkskin,mage armor,antitoxin, antiplague
Preparing for the inevitable battle to come, Crios casts shield, and drinks a potion of shield of faith. Given more time he tries to help decipher.
know religion:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
shield of faith is 1 minute duration but his shield will last 4 minutes this time since he's not using his wand. Remember to move your icons closer on the map.
"Remember, gather close before the next wave! Focus all attacks on one if possible before moving to the next! Only spread out if we have to."
As Crios begins to cast a sheilding spell, his attunement to the massive magical energies throughout the room gives him pause. The aasimar suspects that while a set of guardians are likely re-forming, any not restorative magic may trigger a reaction that will accelerate their arrival.
Essentially, you can cast a buff spell OR attempt to solve some of the puzzle, but not both. Healing magic appears to be the only exception - both of the Professor's channels are met with a soothing burst of air from the polyhedron's holes that wrap around you with a cooling breeze.
Would you like to have cast the shield instead of your Religion attempt this round?
Jade's eyes continue to prove extraordinarily keen, as she spots a facet tucked away almost out of reach that reads '4+3=?'. Apparently the jailers ran out of good puzzles several hundred sides in, as tracing '7' causes that lock to vanish.
Blanmieux and Crios are stumped for their part, but Keriassa managed to use her knowledge of primeval elemental belief systems to rearrange several loose sides into the proper sequence, while the two small party members each get to work cracking it manually. Kivuli and the Professor also find their education coming in handy as the finally address the orb, with their understanding of Abyssal and the elemental tongues helping in their work. Unfortunately, while Keriassa, the Professor, and Kivuli make great strides, as a result many of the simpler physical tricks and religious trivia has now been taken care of. you can still use Disable Device and Know Religion, but it is a bit more difficult as you've managed to find and solve the easier ones.
You are now no longer surprised as two more clay beasts emerge from the chamber's walls, now sporting pterodon heads. As they do so however, an androgynous humanoid with blue skin wearing a clear veil rushes towards you from a tunnel entrance.
"So, you're the group that freed Zhaleh, yes? Come then: together we can show these Elemental Lords and their minions that they are right to fear us!"
Know Planes 17:
This is a Water Veela: capricious elemental spirits who revel in and channel their plans' energies. They can heal wounds to some extent each day, as well as shove their foes away with watery blasts and even create a mighty cone of cold once each day. Their attacks also inflict a dangerous chill on their targets.
Initiative
Bless still up
Crios (6 rounds of Infernal Healing remaining)
Kivuli
Jade
Blanmieux Water Veela Professor 54/58hp
Keriassa
Pink Graven Guardian
Green Graven Guardian[/ooc]
The Professor's fanning flames roar with heat, but seem to splay off the construct at their center. Luckily the rest of the party has better fortune, as a scythe swing, two arrows and an estoc cause the guardian barely able to stand.
To the south, your veela ally stretches out its hands to fire a cone of its own. The frigid blast leaves that target also unaffected however. Cursing, the veela draws a second dagger from its side.
"Damn Ayrzul's and Kelizandri's and all of their protections! Let's see how steel works against these lackeys!"
Crios (6 rounds of Infernal Healing remaining) Kivuli
Jade
Blanmieux
Water Veela
Professor 54/58hp
Keriassa
Pink Graven Guardian -52 hp
Green Graven Guardian
Aasimar Staff Magus/Monk/Occultist 7: HP: 51/51 DR 5/blunt | AC 23(24),16T,18(19)FF, CMD:24 | Fort:+10*(15vs poison/disease) Ref:+8 Will:+8 | Init:+7, Perception:+11 | Arcane Pool: 4/7 |Mental Focus 5/6 |Condition:| Effects: Resist Energy 5 vs Acid/Cold/Electricity(Celestial), defending bone, barkskin,mage armor,antitoxin, antiplague
Seeing no good place to grab a flank position, Crios goes for the most immediate option and swings hard with his staff while swiftly enhancing its magic.
swift action, arcane pool staff +2/1min, accept rage song. Staff PA+bless+song:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 Magic blunt:1d6 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21
-2 AC. Lets hope that is one down and we can focus on the next one.
Sorrina Westyr’s image appears, her hair windblown and a look of wonder on her face. “The Society's discoveries have weakened the prison of the powerful being sealed within Aucturn's Tear,” she pauses, studying a flotilla of crystal balls that hover around her. “Our divinations indicate that it’s now offering a fraction of its power to our forces!”
Behind Sorrina, a small army of Pathfinder mages are studying the floating globes. Then one of them whispers in Drandle Dreng’s ear. Abruptly, Drandle hurries to the forefront, his shaggy head appearing in the center of the Divination window. "ACG Warriors, make a run for it!" Hands gesticulating wildly, he shouts, “NOW!”
Table GMs, the Thunderous Aid condition is now in effect. ACG Tables, you may make a run for it.
Just as the guardian rears back to smack at Kivuli, Crios' blow catches it square in the sternum and breaks the construct in two. At the same time, its mirror rushes to assault the veela.
While half your foes are fallen, as surprisingly strong rush of air bursts out from the holes in the sphere you have broken through. Even as the polyhedron stays mostly intact, each of you hears a faint voice calling you from the orb, each if your own native tongue as its words drift through your heads.
Saviors. Take my power....
During combat, if you are adjacent to the orb, each of you can attempt a UMD check, or a slightly harder Diplomacy or Spellcraft check as a standard action. If you do, you may cast one of the following:
cure light wounds, cure moderate wounds, cure serious wounds, cat's grave, lightning bolt, shocking grasp, summon nature’s ally II (air elemental only) or summon nature’s ally IV (air elemental only)
Initiative
Bless still up
Raging Song up
Crios (5 rounds of Infernal Healing remaining)
Kivuli
Jade
Blanmieux Water Veela -13hp Professor 54/58hp
Keriassa Green Graven Guardian
Aasimar Staff Magus/Monk/Occultist 7: HP: 51/51 DR 5/blunt | AC 23(24),16T,18(19)FF, CMD:24 | Fort:+10*(15vs poison/disease) Ref:+8 Will:+8 | Init:+7, Perception:+11 | Arcane Pool: 4/7 |Mental Focus 5/6 |Condition:| Effects: Resist Energy 5 vs Acid/Cold/Electricity(Celestial), defending bone, barkskin,mage armor,antitoxin, antiplague
Crios yells, "Try summoning elementals while I help the veela." as he rushes along side the water elemental to strike at the guardian. accepting song, swift action=arcane strike Staff PA+bless+song+AS:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20 magic blunt damage:1d6 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19 -2 AC
The two small members of your crew each move to the sphere to try and harness its energies. But whatever is inside, while inordinately powerful, is a truly alien force. The wayang cannot quite get a hang of how to shape the leaking power into a spell, while the Professor struggles to communicate his intentions clearly.
It's not all frustration however, as Crios dashes forwards to deliver a hard *THWACK* to the construct.
Initiative
Bless still up
Raging Song up
Crios (4 rounds of Infernal Healing remaining)
Kivuli Jade
Blanmieux Water Veela -13hp
Professor 54/58hp Keriassa Green Graven Guardian -14hp
The being within the orb responds to Blanmieux's berating only by continue to vent air and strain against its cage. But he's not the only one who's angry - the barbarian's scythe and the archer's arrows break large chunks away from their target. The job is then finished by the veela: enhanced by its frustration at the failed cone of cold and Keriassa's battle chant, it slices and dices what remains.
As the veela calms down, it shakes it hair out from it face and walks towards the Professor. "Oh, you're hurt! Here."
It heals his remaining wounds Cure Serious then strides to the orb. "We were set to guard this by Kelizandri, and she did not act alone. I suspect more of your colleagues may soon need my help, but they shall not cage this thing any longer."
Know Geography (I doubt this will overlap with your checks):1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32
As she attempts to crack the orb's mysteries, you approach the polyhedorn once more. This time however, you hear faint whispers on the wind. Whispers that guide your hand and mind...
One of you will find your efforts easier this round. Please let me know which one. Also, don't forget you can attempt to aid another if you're unsure of your own efforts, and the skill options are up above.
Aasimar Staff Magus/Monk/Occultist 7: HP: 51/51 DR 5/blunt | AC 23(24),16T,18(19)FF, CMD:24 | Fort:+10*(15vs poison/disease) Ref:+8 Will:+8 | Init:+7, Perception:+11 | Arcane Pool: 4/7 |Mental Focus 5/6 |Condition:| Effects: Resist Energy 5 vs Acid/Cold/Electricity(Celestial), defending bone, barkskin,mage armor,antitoxin, antiplague
Know Religion:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14I have been getting terrible rolls here, but I keep trying. Next round I will just auto aid and leave it at that. Who wants to have it easier this next round?
Even as the many-faceted prison spins and reconfigures itself, it cannot keep pace with the combined efforts of the Pathfinder Society. A refreshing breeze pours from the immense orb, restoring the agents' will to fight.
Table GMs, the Winds of Restoration condition is now in effect.
you and other Pathfinder's efforts begin to overwhelm the bindings and locks caging in whatever lies behind the puzzle-orb. As the polyhedron strains against the pressures from within and without, a warm refreshing breeze washes over you. It soothes your aches and reinvigorates your minds.
soon...
Each of you is healed (not that you need that at this moment, and also regains one use of the class ability of your choice (rage round, arcane point, Inspiration, etc). In addition, each of you spellcaster regains one or more of your expended spells/spell slots: a total of level's worth equal to your Character level.
Also botting the Professor
Even with luck against several of you, you begin to solve puzzles and destroy seals with a fervor as you get the hang of this. Right on cue, two more guardians step forth from the wall, but They seem almost rushed and half-formed. The defenses around your prize are getting desperate in order to keep up with your accelerating pace.
Aasimar Staff Magus/Monk/Occultist 7: HP: 51/51 DR 5/blunt | AC 23(24),16T,18(19)FF, CMD:24 | Fort:+10*(15vs poison/disease) Ref:+8 Will:+8 | Init:+7, Perception:+11 | Arcane Pool: 4/7 |Mental Focus 5/6 |Condition:| Effects: Resist Energy 5 vs Acid/Cold/Electricity(Celestial), defending bone, barkskin,mage armor,antitoxin, antiplague
"Blan cover Red! Everyone else on Blue till it's down, then go for Red!" Crios yells to the team. He quickly casts a spell and then moves to the side of the forming guardian and attacks. Kivuli and the archers will appreciate this position.
swift action arcane strike, standard cast shocking grasp, spell combat, move in, deliver spell through staff attack
