Moving deeper into the tunnel, it begins to open up into a larger chamber. Salt deposits line the cavern ahead and several side passages branch east and west and run rich with blue crystals before ending at cave-ins. Eight smoldering torches illuminate a small tunnel ahead—beyond all is pitch black, though the sound of running water echoes out from the darkness.
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Ceobryrn clearly sees the signs of battle in the tracks, "They feared something greater than death."
The ranger moves stealthy forward.
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Ag'Mira readies her spell for Flurry of Sowballs.
"
If we spot a group of these Derro I should be able to slow them down with a some snowballs. You may want to avoid running into a group before I realease that spell."
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Heccan nods as Anotnella hands over the note. He frowns as he reads it. Things must have gone from bad to worse to long for the slow death of a rat's stomach. Right then, let's see if we can find an even bigger beast ready to knock me into the next Age. But, by all means, after you...
Heccan bows dramatically and signals for his party members to lead the way.
Moving forward after making preparations, the party moves into an even larger chamber. A large pool fills most of this chamber, its green waters bathing the high ceilings in an eerie green light. The pool is open to the cavern on the south and east sides, but borders the cavern walls to the north and west. On the north side of the cavern, a small alcove sits above the water line, inside of which rests a small stone table. Dozens of corpses float serenely on the surface of the pool.
Hundreds of prisoners, both human and mite, fill the caverns to the west of the pool. A line of prisoners, herded by injured derros and mites, marches from the western caverns into the pool. Each time a body dips beneath the water, the stone table in the alcove north of the pool flashes in a near-blinding green brilliance, filling the entire cavern with near daylight brightness.
As the party enters, the derros turn, seeing you and yell out as they reach for weapons!
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Heccan involuntarily recoils at the site of the derro. Beginning to learn from his rapidly increasing time in combat, he decides to tap his dark power to help protect himself in the battle to come. His eyes flash red and he softly whispers something dark and alien under his breath as he shudders and turns both hands up in front of him, his hands curled into claws facing the ceiling. A shimmering translucence takes shape and envelopes the sorcerer in a mostly invisible protective shell.
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 min./level (D)
Shield creates an invisible shield of force that hovers in front of you. It negates magic missile attacks directed at you. The disk also provides a +4 shield bonus to AC. This bonus applies against incorporeal touch attacks, since it is a force effect. The shield has no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure chance.
Heccan prepares for battle, casting a shielfing spell!
Wembly moves up and fires off some arcane acid, but misses badly!
The eastern derro closes the gap and attacks Wembly, cutting into the gnome, while the other two move closer, readying for battle!
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Ag'mira swirls her hands in tight circles and she murmurers.
"Like a ball of snow
Like a snowball grows
Until it gets too big
Until she lost control"
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range 30 ft.
Effect cone-shaped burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance no
DESCRIPTION
You send a flurry of snowballs hurtling at your foes. Any creature in the area takes 4d6 points of cold damage from being pelted with the icy spheres.
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Wearing the bracers found earlier and Quickly drawing his bow, Ceobryrn fires two magic arrows at the closes for
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Ag'mira moves up and sends a shower of icy pellets slamming into the derros, though two are able to tumble away from the worst of the damage!
Antonlla darts foward, punching a derro in the face!
Wembly stabs, but misses the derro! Whiskers, however, tears into the evil creature, leaving only bit and pieces laying on the ground!
Ceobryrn fires two arrows, one finding its mark, sending another derro to the ground!
Orryn flies by the remaining derro, impaling it on his lance! The derro's body crumples from the blow and falls to the ground, broken!
Searching the derro bodies, you find two letters on one of them. The first letter confirms that the Aspis Consortium agent Kafar funded the smugglers who in turn supplied the cult. The second letter details plans to penetrate other Cassomir buildings (such as the Admiralty Citadel and Harbor Watch) and perform additional mass abductions in the near future.
The surviving Swift inmates and guards stand dazed in the grotto. The stone table in northern alcove is a shrine to Groetus. The pool is filled with dozens of corpses of prisoners, guards, mites, and a variety of recently kidnapped Cassomir citizens. Should they not be removed from the pool and destroyed (such as by fire or acid), they will eventually rise as ghouls and plague the city of Cassomir.
Relasing the prisoners and destroying the one destined for undeath, the party returns to the surface. With the derros defeated, the party has thwarted the dark experimentations fated for most of the Swift’s inhabitants and employees, and uncover plans for additional mass abductions. This time, the authorities quickly plant guards and traps to spoil the derros’ advances. Soon the subterranean dwellers abandon their organized abductions in Cassomir—at least for a while.
The rescued Swift guards assist the party in ushering the prisoners back up to Swift Prison. Once there, a member of the Cassomir constabulary asks what you might know about the stolen chapel bell....
The man explains that a fellow constable found the note nailed to the front door of the Greedy Narses.
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Ceobryrn shrugs "Well, sometimes you win some and save thousands of people and sometimes you loose some priceless trinket. Sill I would like to be there to deliver some zen to the two."
The ranger nods respectfully to the group "We made a great team, I would be pleased to work with any of you again! Thanks, again for saving me from the ghoul."
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Heccan's eyes narrow and his jaw clenches as he reads the note. After a moment, his anger slowly turns into an evil grin. Nefti...I knew we should have burned that treacherous lad when we hand the chance. No matter. I am sure I will cross this man his ilk again. His grin slips into a wide grin. I am fairly certain I will be less than charitable when I do.
Heccan turns to the rest of the group. In any event, well done fellow agents. I can think of only one thing to do now...drink until I stop hurting. The first round is one me, hells, maybe even the first three. What does it matter? I will just pass off the bill to my twin here. He winks to Wembly. Now, who knows where we can get a bottle of decent Chelish red...