You begin your trek across the red bridge with the druid swirling in the air above you. It takes over 15 minutes to make the crossing, the whole while the bridge shudders and shakes whenever the furnace ahead of you spits fire.
On the volcano side of the bridge, a path leads away towards the mountain. It winds and climbs basically straight up the side. In the distance, you see that the path appears to lead to a small gatehouse consisting of two towers extending out of the side of the volcano, between which looms an approximately 25-foot wide cave entrance. Smoke plumes from this entrance constantly.
Not looking forward to the climb in his armor, "Deserts...climbing spires and volcanos...I think I like traveling by ship here the best." His troubled frown deepens as another thought bids unwelcome into his mind, "Well...except when they go over cliffs at the edge of the world..." He shakes his head and begins the trek to the gatehouse.
It is quite a hike up the desolate mountain side. By the time you make it up to the cave entrance, some of you are out of breath from hauling all that weight uphill.
You stand before a wide opening in the side of the volcano that quickly disappears into nothing but blackness. Smoke pours out from the roof and billows up into the air, making it even harder to see what is inside. You can feel the heat coming from within as it hits you like a blast furnace.
Pae awakens on this day feeling somewhat under the weather..his wounds though healed still seem to pain him somewhat..he makes no complaint as the party breaks camp and throughout the trip. However by the time they get to the Volcano he is visibly Ill. His brow lathered in sweat, his wounds burning.
Nobody cast Cure Disease on the people who got bitten
Well, it makes sense that we weren't aware of the disease yet but also as a player I totally forgot about that. I think I was just happy to survive. Pesky issues like diseases got lost in the shuffle. Besides, isn't everyone immune, like me? Must be the lack of vitamin C in your diets :)
Efreat climbs behind his friends. Once he reaches the top, Efreat armors himself, "Krack'koom". Efreat looks to Bahir, "I have spells of protection from fire; however, my blood protects me and the spell only lasts for about an hour and a half. I suggest that we wait until we encounter any fire before I begin to cast." cast mage armor on self. my fire resistance is 20 so I should be fine
As you prepare to enter the dark tunnel, Hazreem notices Pae is not looking too hot and goes to tend to him...
Still waiting on Pae's Fort Save (with +4). And once you guys enter the tunnel, I'll be needing Fort Saves against Severe Heat (between 110 and 140 degrees) at DC15. Unless of course you have Endure Elements or Fire Resistance high enough to cover any potential damage (DM glances at Efreat). If wearing armor, take a -4 to your Fort Save roll. For Protection from Fire (if cast on anyone), it only protects you for up to 12 points of damage so you would still need to make Fort Saves in those cases.
My spell is resist energy which at my level protects for 20 points per source so it is as good as mine. Given that extreme of heat, I'll cast it on whomever needs it.
Protection from Energy protections against any exposure from the given element but is terminate after it absorbs up to 12 points/caster level (max 120). Resist energy starts at absorbing 10 points per source then 20 points per source after 7th level and then 30 points per source after 11th level. resist energy can absorb more damage over a prolonged amount of time; however, protection from energy can save a person from a major one shot such as dragon's breath. it just depends upon the situation as to whether one is better than the other.
F Half-Elven Cleric L8+Bard L1 | HP 57/57 | AC 21 | Saves F06 R07 W13 | Percep +11
"I have Endure Elements for two or three more people; That will protect against normal extremes of weather all day.
If the heat actually starts burning us, I also have a couple of Resist Energy spells."
Ok, here's the breakdown. Bahir: cast endure elements on himself. Efreat: Has natural 20 resistance to fire already. Daumari: Casts Resist Fire on himself. Mah'ysa: Casts Endure Elements on herself. Pae: Minor Ring of Fire Resistance protects him. Hazreem: Has the Desert Endurance ability which gives him the equivalent of Endure elements in any hot climate.
Seeing everyone is ready, the paladin proceeds in to gatehouse.
Effective protection:
- Efreat: Fire Resistance 20
- Daumari: Fire Resistance 20
- Paellat: Fire Resistance 10
- Bahir: Endure Elements
- Mah'ysa: Endure Elements
- Hazreem: Endure Elements
With protections against heat applied, Bahir leads the way into the dark tunnel. The temperature in here quickly rises to blistering hot temperatures, but with your magical protections you suffer no ills. The ceiling of this tunnel is nearly 20 feet high, but you cannot see the top of it as it has filled with thick smoke. There is a strong smell of sulfer coming from the depths within.
It becomes pitch black as you move further in. With the use of some cantrips, you are able to light the way. The tunnel narrows and widens, climbs and descends, as it zigzags through the volcano. You travel for about 15 minutes, but still you continue with no sign of anything.
After over 30 minutes, you swear you have completely traveled around and behind the mountain. Eventually, the tunnel ends in a 10-foot wide pair of red-hot metal gates, embossed with the seal of Nex and a dwarven figure covering both door panels. In the embossing, the dwarf's left hand is on an anvil and his right hand is on a hammer. The reddish glow from the gates eliminates the need for your magical light sources.
"Looks like it'll burn whomever touches it." Looking over to the halfling, "Pae, is it protected other than the obvious heat?" A sudden thought occurs to him and he pulls out Vardishal while activating its frost ability, "I wonder..." Apparently not thinking that he will set off whatever Pae might find he touches the blade to the red hot handle to see if it cools it.
Bahir's blade glows bright blue, a stark contrast to the reddish orange coming from the gate before you. As the blade touches the gate, there is a sizzling sound and smoke begins rising from the point of contact.
Bahir:
There is a voice in your head, like that which you've heard of Vardishal in the past. After a second of contact, it begins to cry out suddenly in pain, screaming that it burns...
Hazreem chuckles softly while looking at Bahir, "Well at least you know how to listen ...if not to your priestess then at least to your blade anyway, he he." He looks over the gate carefully, "I think that gate will fry our flesh off our bones should we touch it. There should be a way to bypass it though."
While the gate is radiating intense heat, there does not appear to be anything securing it in place. Nor any mechanisms that you can tell to alert or trigger if opened. It seems as if all it needs is a good push.
F Half-Elven Cleric L8+Bard L1 | HP 57/57 | AC 21 | Saves F06 R07 W13 | Percep +11
Mah'ysa takes a closer look at the gate, then looks at her staff speculatively. Moving closer, she extends the ferrule out to the gate and tries to push it open.
Mah'ysa pushes the gate with her staff, but it doesn't budge. Daumari, wrapping his hammer chains around his hands, gives the gate a strong push. The chains grow extremely hot as the heat transfers to them. Just the proximity to the gate would be enough to cause a mortal man's skin to roast. But as hard as the inquisitor pushes, the gate does not move. Daumari feels that if it wasn't for his magical protections, his experience would have been a lot more painful.
Efreat: You sense a very faint magical aura coming from the direction of the door. But after further concentration, you realize that it is not coming from the door itself. Maybe something on the other side getting through the barrier?
F Half-Elven Cleric L8+Bard L1 | HP 57/57 | AC 21 | Saves F06 R07 W13 | Percep +11
Mah'ysa grants herself the Touch of Good before trying again; thrusting the staff against the blazing doors again.
"Dawnflower aid me; Hyah!" Strength check:1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 4 = 24
if Mah'ysa's attempt doesn't work then I'll cast knock. caster level check plus 101d20 + 19 ⇒ (9) + 19 = 28
Efreat waits for the result of his companions work before chanting "Shan'ravass!"
Bahir al-Asim Abdul Shihab
