Azarra doesn't believe that the Library is ruined any more than the rest of the house, and she looks around for the mask to destroy it. She also pulls up detect magic to see if any of the books are magical despite their apparent worthlessness.
Ishta takes a quick look , checking for the book they're looking for and any other that would seem interesting.
Noticing Azarra is already discerning magical auras, Ishta just awaits her assessment.
"Gods, this place is an affront. Where I had hoped we'd have an easy time finding the book we covet, this 'library' has squashed those dreams quite handily. Perhaps an incantation might do the trick...[/b]"
Kardas balls his hand into a fist and then draws an intricate web of symbols, causing his eyes to perceive the Weave around him.
Zane's eyes narrowed as he noticed the impressions in the dust, nudging his companions and pointing them out. He wondered what kind of creature could make marks like that, but didn't overly concern himself with it. They'd find out soon enough, likely.
As the group filed into the library, Zane's keen eyes picked out the mask in the corner, pointing it out to the others so that the requisite smashing could commence. Then, near Kardas, his green eyes picked out the slight motion of the pages, brandishing his mace as he called out, "There's something over there, be careful!"
Kardas starts the ritual to focus his mind, but no sooner had the words escaped from his mouth when something ghastly burst out from under a great pile of papers! A huge dismembered hand, fully the size of large dog scuttles towards you. It's flesh is pale and it stinks of death and formaldehyde and it's covered with sickly boils and pustules!
It rears up and tries to impale Kardas on it's clawed index finger but he dodges aside.
<--- MISS
Azarra <----- WE ARE HERE
Ishta Khosiv
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren
Zane Levallis
Spoiler:Azarra
Ishta Khosiv Mage Armor (2055 rounds)
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren Shield Other (2355 rounds)
Zane Levallis Shield Other (2356 rounds)
Azarra
Ishta Khosiv Mage Armor (2054 rounds)
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren Shield Other (2354 rounds)
Zane Levallis Shield Other (2355 rounds)
Azarra, Ishta Khosiv and Kardas Rasalas are up.
Azarra shoots at the creepy disembodied hand.
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"I need a hand here!"
Ishta reacts shooting a ray from her fingertips.
Azarra's arrow embeds itself deep into the meat of the things thumb. Ishta's ray hits the scuttling claw, freezing part of it. Kardas's sword pierces through a finger, rupturing a large pus filled sack, the disgusting necrotic contents of which sprayed all over him chilling him to the bone. Suddenly it was all he could do to hold his lunch down...
<--- FAIL
The hand scuttles closer to Kardas and flicks out a claw, striking him in the chest and tearing a long ragged cut!
<--- HIT
Azarra
Ishta Khosiv
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren <----- WE ARE HERE
Zane Levallis
Spoiler:Azarra
Ishta Khosiv Mage Armor (2055 rounds)
Kardas Rasalas Nauseated (1 round)
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren Shield Other (2355 rounds)
Zane Levallis Shield Other (2356 rounds)
Azarra
Ishta Khosiv Mage Armor (2054 rounds)
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren Shield Other (2354 rounds)
Zane Levallis Shield Other (2355 rounds)
Ser Armithia-Seendren, Zane Levallis, Azarra, Ishta Khosiv and Kardas Rasalas are up.
Seeing his Rashemi companion double over, trying to keep from sicking up, and then subsequently taking a nasty hit, the priest rushed forward to his aid, swinging his Dawnspeaker down at the disgusting hand.
Azarra shoots at the disembodied monstrosity again.
"Don't... feel, well."
Creatures with the nauseated condition experience stomach distress. Nauseated creatures are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move action per turn.
Ishta reaches Ser Armithia and touches in the shoulder, granting combat fervor to the paladin.
By Helm, back off filth!
The paladin hacks at the hand without mercy!
Ser Armithia hacks at the giant crawling hand, but to his surprise the sword bounces off the tough leathery skin.
Likewise Zane's mace fails to penetrate the necrotizing skin, but Azarra's arrow was well judged and it buries itself up to the fletchings in the meat between thumb and forefinger!
Ishta casts a spell to grant Ser Armithia combat fervor while poor Kardas stumbles away from the claw and dry heaves in the corner!
Showing no mercy, the claw scuttles after Kardas and once more it's index finger lunges for him and it's sharpened nail opens a great cut along his flank.
Azarra
Ishta Khosiv
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren <----- WE ARE HERE
Zane Levallis
Spoiler:Azarra
Ishta Khosiv Mage Armor (2054 rounds)
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren Touch of Rage (1 round)
Zane Levallis
Azarra
Ishta Khosiv Mage Armor (2053 rounds)
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren
Zane Levallis
Ser Armithia-Seendren, Zane Levallis, Azarra, Ishta Khosiv and Kardas Rasalas are up.
Azarra tries to shoot the hand again.
Ishta copies Azarra and decides to keep firing.
Ever determined, Ser Armithia swings again.
Feeling that the best way to handle this menace was to destroy it first, then heal their injuries, Zane stepped behind it to put the hand between himself and Ser Armithia. Not that the thing had eyes, but every combat advantage that could be taken might possibly be the difference. He swung at the thing again, brow furrowed in consternation as it continued to press Kardas.
Teary-eyed from the rancid ordeal and the overwhelming savagery with which the hand is assaulting him, Kardas swings and flails his blade at the wicked thing.
There's more flailing than swinging.
Like a blur Ser Armithia's sword descended upon the hand, splitting the necrotic skin, sending disgusting fluids flying! With reflexes like greased lightning, Ser Armithia dodges the jet which lands harmlessly on the wall behind.
<--- PASS
Zane steps in and smashes the hand with his mace, shattering a joint in it's little finger. He too manages to dodge aside from the disgusting jets from the ruptures pustules.
<--- PASS
Azarra lines up another shot, but the claw is getting bashed around so much she can't get it to land. Likewise Ishta's ray of utter cold hits nothing but thin air.
Despite it's joints being smashed it's fingers split and rent with deep cuts, the animated claw continues it's single minded assault on Kardas. Once more it's index finger scythes out, cutting Kardas open from navel to sternum!
Azarra
Ishta Khosiv
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren <----- WE ARE HERE
Zane Levallis
Spoiler:Azarra
Ishta Khosiv Mage Armor (2053 rounds)
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren
Zane Levallis
Azarra
Ishta Khosiv Mage Armor (2052 rounds)
Kardas Rasalas
Crawling Hand
Ser Armithia-Seendren
Zane Levallis
Ser Armithia-Seendren, Zane Levallis, Azarra, Ishta Khosiv and Kardas Rasalas are up.
Zane grew concerned as the Rashemi took another hit, but still concentrated on bringing the terrifying hand-demon down. Once that was done, they could flick the wand at Kardas to make him whole once more. He again swung his mace at the thing, hoping they could bring it down before it was able to create more havoc.
In a desperate effort, Kardas presses the flat of his hand against the cold steel of his blade and, like it were a spear, thrusts at the wicked hand as it jumps up to once more eviscerate the Raumathar.
Aer Armithia attempts to take advantage of Zane's flank.
Apparently, some ichor has make the knight to loose his footing....
"For the Watchers' sake, Kardas! Retreat!" Ishta, worried about her friend, still tries to fonosh the creature as soon as possible.
Ser Armithia tries to attack at the same time as Zane, but his armored boot slipped on the unspeakable ichor leaking from the claw.
Zane's mace however smashed into a finger joint with well studied ease, causing it to collapse. The claw fell over and rolled onto it's back and twitched for a while before it became still forever.
<--- PASS
From behind you you hear Natalia gasp, both hands over her mouth. She looks shocked at the scene.. Pointing at the claw she breathes, "I.I... I saw that thing once before! F. F. Fengor set it on a novice who he claimed stole from him. It ripped her open..."
Relieved that the hand is dead, Azarra proceeds to the corner where Zane had pointed out the mask earlier, and smashes it.
With exasperation Kardas reflects on the fight as he sits down, needing a breather and some serious medical attention. "How is that a hand, a mere hand, is the most dangerous foe we've so far encountered?!"
"Bah, Kardas, I know you can endure this and much else." Turning to Natalia, Ishta adds "This hand won't do anything of that anymore."
When Kardas' wounds ar etreated, Ishta retakes the searching of the book.
As Azarra sees to the smashing of the mask in the area, Zane confiscates the wand and begins to heal Kardas of his grievous wounds. "Don't feel badly, friend. The dark arts animated that object...you weren't facing a mere hand, but a focus of the blackest sorcery."
As Ishta sought to reassure Natalia, Zane nodded in agreement. "Indeed...this foul thing will trouble no one more." The priest lifted a brow ever-so-slightly, a mild reproach that Natalia had allied herself with people who would resort to such tactics. Then the cleric resumed the search for the book they were seeking, hoping for no more surprises at the moment.
And with a flick of the wrist, Zane bippity-bopped most of Kardas' remaining injuries away.
The gold elf stands sentinel, as the others recoup.
It takes a bit of effort to reach it but after a few attempts Azarra brings the mask down and crushes it under her heel. As before painful hallucinations flicker across your vision as the opulent reality asserts itself.
You are clearly in a mage's study, the walls lined with polished mahogany shelves inlaid with precious metals. Strange pictographs adorn the walls and there is what appears to be a summoning circle in the center. There are a great many books, scrolls and folios. Searching this really will take some time.
Ser Armithia scans the room for evil.
Nothing triggers your senses Ser Armithia beyond the now slain Claw.
Zane looked at the vast amount of knowledge now seen in the decadent room and shook his head. "Perhaps this search should wait until our primary objective is complete." The priest looked at Natalia questioningly. "Is that it, for this level?"
If so, the cleric is more than ready to descend to start working on the other areas, but he will stay put if the party decides to do so.
One second. Let's at least get any magical things.
Azarra pulls up detect magic. She is willing to wait to search the library more thoroughly till later, but she wants to take any magical books or scrolls now, in case they have need of them.
To notice anything important and non-magical that they should take now while she is gathering the magic stuff.
"Alright. I think that's it for this level, yes. I am surprised we are still riding our horses after all that."
Kardas found his way back to the horse-related sayings and pearls of wisdom. Clearly, the Raumathar was feeling a whole lot better after Zane's divine administrations.
Azarra casts her spell and a number of minor enchantments are revealed: A small collapsable bed frame is neatly stowed at the far end of the wall and next to it are piled neatly dark blue satin sheets with a permanent endure elements effect; the strange sigils on the wall appear to be command word items for light and unseen servant; the luxurious hardwood bookshelves bare minor enchantments to ward away damp and insects.
Two books next to each other in one shelf turn out to have strong enchantments; The first a large leather bound time has an aura of abjuration; the other a slim midnight blue tome with silver leaf writing has an aura of conjuration. Curiously enough, wedged in between them is an otherwise unremarkable leather bound pamphlet entitled The History of Phlan.
Azarra takes the sheets
If triggered, Azarra takes whatever immediate damage there is and, if alive, backs away from the snake.
If not triggered, Azarra averts her eyes if necessary while grabbing the books, wraps them in an edge of her bedroll in her pack, and then takes the pamphlet that was in between them, and starts perusing it as she follows the party to the next room.
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When told about the sigils protecting the books, Ishta comments on acquiring some scrolls of dispel back in town.
After Azarra stowed the three books that were found and they grabbed whatever else glowed with the aura of magic, Zane invited Ser Armithia to lead them back down so they could continue their exploration of the exquisite building's first floor. Looking back at Natalia, the priest added, "If there are other wards, traps, or surprises in store, now would be the time to speak..."
Kardas groans as Zane speaks for those words brought back bad memories of stories of Thayans using captives and slaves like canaries in a coal mine: they'd prod them forward under threat of death while clearing old tombs and other possibly dangerous places. No wonder my fellow Raumathar prefer death over being captured.
Ser Armithia leads the way, activating detect evil, as usual.