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Imowen carefully examines the three visible doors on the east, south and west walls. The doors are of a smooth, shiny metal, and each has a handle and latch mechanism. There do not appear to be any locks or traps present on any of these doors. She looks for the doorway from which you entered the room from the north, but there is nothing present but a smooth, glowing wall.
Gezzo reaches and tries to open the west door.
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Gezzo opens the western door, and you view a room that has the appearance of a fiery cavern. Small pools of lava give off a shimmering heat, and the air smells of brimstone. The temperature in the room is extremely hot, and it feels like an oven. Three other doorways are evident, located centrally in the walls. The room is illuminated by the radiant glow from a red fiery crystal orb atop a strange device in the center of the room. A rod of blue crystal lies on the floor adjacent to the device.
I follow Gezzo through the western door and look around. Seeing the blue crystal on the floor I ask,
Is this out of that? pointing at the strange device. And if it is, is there a white crystal in it where this one came out of? If so, let's take the white one out and put this blue one back in. Then we can take the white crystal and put it back in the device in the other room!
"Like calls to like, so does white to light. Of its color-crystal the orb might claim. Red is fire and heat and flame."
Not sure we want to go walking in there, its like the gates of Hades have been opened! Celif, can you ask the orb if there is a way to turn down the heat?
Gezzo looks into the the room from the doorway and assess the danger.
"The elements," Celif mutters to herself. "Essence of all things."
"Look through one of the other doors," she calls out as she nods and turns to the hovering entity. "మేము మీరు సహాయం అనుకుంటున్నారా. మేము నైతిక మరియు ఆ గది మనలేదు. వేడి తిరస్కరించింది చేయవచ్చు?"
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Someone might be able to get in there and grab the crystal if they stay away from the pools, but they're going to need to be quick...real quick. Gezzo says as he looks into the room, shielding his face with his arm from the heat.
"The one on the floor definitely isn't it," Celif translates. "It says white crystals to restore the balance. And the heat can't be changed."
"So we leave this one alone then?"
I don't think I'll be able to get in there without injury, so lets leave it alone for now. Gezzo says as he walks across the room.
He stands in front of the east door and concentrates on his incantations as he looks over the entrance.
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Gezzo casts detection spells at the doorway on the east side of the room, which detect the same results as his previous attempts. When he opens the east door, the doorway to the west shuts itself.
The eastern room has the appearance of a sphere of water. The floor is flooded to a depth of two feet, water streams down the walls, and a persistent shower of water falls from the ceiling. Three other doorways are evident, located centrally in the walls. This room is illuminated by the radiant glow from a blue crystal orb atop a strange device in the center of the room. A rod of white crystal lies on top of the device.
I follow Gezzo to the east room doorway and after he opens the door, I look around. I notice the white crystal on top of the device in the center of the room and say,
Hey you all! There is a white crystal on top of the device in the middle of that room! I am going to go grab it and put it in one of the empty holes on the side of the device in this room!
And I immediately proceed to do so, making sure I have a solid grip on the crystal. When I get to the device I insert the white crystal into the middle hole and say, Now let's see if anything happens.
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Imowen enters the east room, wades through the water, and grabs hold of the white crystal resting on top of the device in the center of the room. As she does so, four translucent creatures arise from the water, their shapes shifting between a spinning column of water and a crashing wave. They converge upon her and attack!
Creature 1 -
Creature 2 -
Creature 3 -
Creature 4 -
Watery "arms" slam into Imowen, knocking her about! Two of the waves hit her hard enough to cause damage , inflicting 20 points of pain!
I was NOT expecting that attack! But I continue to keep a firm grip on the white crystal while I sputter from the "water" attacks and wonder what these creatures are.
Perception:
Initiative:
"Imowen!" Celif cries in concern, and a hand flies to her mouth.
"Does anyone speak... water? Tell them we're here to help!"
She whips around to look up at the floating entity. "దయచేసి! మేము మీకు సహాయం ఇక్కడ ఉన్నారు వాటిని చెప్పండి!"
"No, but I really would like to learn it now."
Water Elementals! Imowens in trouble! Gezzo yells to the group. He spurs Lryhla into the room.
Get out of the water, Imowen. These elementals are more powerful if we're standing in the pool!
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Gezzo and Lryhla move into the room, attacking Elemental #1. Gezzo's weapon seems to pass right through the creature, but Lryhla's bite causes some minor damage!
Group 2: The Elementals
The Elementals #1 and #2 swirl and attack Gezzo and Lryhla, respectively:
#1 -
#2 -
Crit Confirmation:
Elemental #1 swoops a column of water and brings it crashing down on Gezzo, causing 23 points of damage!
Elemental #2 slams Lryhla for 10 points of damage!
Elementals #3 and #4 continue to attack Imowen:
#3 -
#4 -
Both creatures slam watery columns into her, causing 17 points of damage!
Group 3: Everyone else...
"Get out of the water!" Celif practically screams. "Gezzo! Back away!" She frantically digs through her backpack and pulls out a candle. "Distract them! Keep them off Imowen!" Gripping the candle and her spell component pouch in one fist, she begins sweeping her arms through wide, graceful arcs while chanting emphatically.
I feel like I am drowning . . .
Firmly grasping the white crystal, with great determination I withdraw from combat and dash for the door and into the first room where I collapse at the side of the device. The white crystal is still clutched in my hand!
Flug moves towards Imowen and bows down to chant in another of his strange tongues, black glow emanating from a hand as it goes over her wounds.
Nästród goes to G5 (by the door). He readies an action to attack the first elemental that comes within range with his flaming sword.
I step up beside Nästrod, sword ready to smash them in case they come closer.
Go Imowen! We're right behind you!
Gezzo pulls Lryhla's reigns fiercely and spins her around to head out the door in a calculated retreat, following Imowen closely.
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Imowen tries to withdraw from the Water room, and Elementals #1 and #2 swipe at her as she exits:
Fortunately she manages to dodge the blows, and she safely re-enters the Light room, where she receives 16 healing from Flug!
Nastrod and Thorgrim guard the eastern door, awaiting an enemy to come within range...
Gezzo successfully withdraws, and re-enters the room of Light.
After a few moments, the Water Elementals sink down into the water and disappear...
The cleric drops the spell components she's clutching and immediately rushes to the soaked and panting Imowen. Seeing her still badly hurt even after Flug's aid, Celif looks around to gauge other injuries. Gezzo and his mount are hurt also, so she begs a boon of her deity and pushes waves of healing energy outward.
"Are you alright?" she asks Imowen with concern, while squatting at her side. Then her expression hardens and she shakes her finger in the rogue's face. "You know better than to go rushing into unchecked areas like that! Don't you remember what happened to me when I dashed into that room near the vats? Or all the bad things that have happened to any of us when we didn't check first? How are we supposed to get doors open or disarm traps if you get yourself killed!"
"Besides," she adds softly, "we all care about you."
Thanks, Celif. Gezzo says as he wipes the sweat and water from his face. Lryhla shakes the water from her coat. I admire your determination, Imowen, but we may want take some caution before entering in these rooms. We barely made it out of that last one.
Still squatting beside Imowen, Celif throws her arm up to block the spray from Lryhla's enthusiastic shaking. Then she puts her hand on Gezzo's arm.
"Gezzo... I've tried not to neglect my studies while we've been on the road. In the mornings after meditation, before turning in at night, whenever I could. I've learned how to summon extra-planar creatures... well, small ones, anyway. I was going to call forth a water elemental to interfere with the ones in there, so Imowen could get away."
She looks over her shoulder at the room of fire. "But I could summon a fire elemental instead. It could safely go in there. If we could somehow communicate with it, ask it to bring us the white crystal... but I don't speak Ignan."
She looks at Gezzo again. "Any ideas?"
Having been revived from the injuries caused by the water catastrophe, I say, Thank you so much, Flug, and Celif, for the healing! I was getting really weak. And thank you, Gezzo and Lryhla, for coming in to help rescue me! I am sorry you got injured too.
Holding up the white crystal still clutched in my hand I add,
But I got one of the white crystals we need to try and restore the balance! And I am sorry, Celif, for dashing into the room to get it, but we need it and who knew the water would attack me! If we don't get the balance restored we will probably all die anyway. And I care enough about you all I was willing to do what I could to get it to help.
Having finished, I get up and go stand in front of the device and carefully insert the white crystal in the middle empty hole in the side and wait to see what happens.
"Oh my!" exclaims Celif, and she goes over to examine the machine in more detail.
She looks up at the floating creature. "వన్ వచ్చాడు. మీరు మంచి ఫీలింగ్ ఉంటాయి?"
Celif shakes her head. "It's hard to communicate with this thing. I asked if replacing the one crystal had helped it at all. I hoped maybe that'd bought us some time." She turns to look at the others. "All it said was they all have to be returned."
"Like we didn't know that already," she says in frustration. "Anyway, I think it might be telling us it's more than just the white crystals... in the machines where other color crystals have been removed, we need to replace those, too."
"Apparently beings of light are masters of the obvious. So... next?"
Well, then lets look in the third door. Gezzo says as he examines the southern door.
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Gezzo examines the southern door, and finding no obvious locks or traps, he opens it. The next room has the appearance of a cavern, with all surfaces made of rough stone. Three other doorways are evident, located centrally in the walls. This room is illuminated by the radiant glow from a green crystal orb atop a strange device in the center of the room. A rod of clear crystal lies on the floor adjacent to the device.
Well, at least it didn't hurt . . . Makes things more complicated if we have to replace all the crystals of all the right colors in all of the right devices. Might as well start gettin' 'er done.
I follow Gezzo over to the next door and after he opens it I look around and immediately spot the clear crystal rod on the floor! Wanting to be more careful this time, I do a perception check the dash in and firmly grab the crystal rod and dash back out the door.
Perception for traps: