Uwais Freedman |
Uwais pokes his head back into the other room. "All clear," the halfling says. When someone else enters, he points toward the top of the stautue. "It appears that the iris there may be removed... though the inscription makes me wonder if we should," he says cautiously.
Warden of Doors |
Yang finally waddles into the odd passage to the statue found by Uwais. "It is most interesting, yes?"
Yang tries to see if he can recall anything about what this might be related to.
knowledge 1d20+9
knowledge 1d20+8
Yang:
Warden of Doors |
Sister Mara turns her skill at identifying magic at the bronzed ball- it does indeed contain some faint traces of divination, as well as abjuration magic and transmutation. Its function, however, remains a mystery...
Quick, cast detect plot mcguffin!
Knowledge- Religion DC 20 (looking at the statue):
The stone door at the opposite end of the L shape from the statue seems to be barred from the other side.
Sister Mara |
"Agreed," Sister Mara replies absently as she sketches the chamber's dimensions on her map.
Godsmouth Ossuary Catacombs Map
"Besides, if my measurements are correct, this stone door leads to the chamber through which we first entered this complex a few days ago."
Warden of Doors |
You return to the cathedral through a side door, deducing that the passage where you found the mound of discarded body parts (and the corpse of Tripe) will open into the Grand Cathedral. The ceiling vaults to a height of sixty feet, unsupported by buttresses or visible columns. Forty feet above you is the wide stone bridge with elaborately carved railings you entered through initially. You find yourselves on a wide ledge, opening in the center to a recessed area with the inlaid spiral symbol of Pharasma in the center.
On the wide ledge stand bronze doors to the west and the door you entered through in the east. Eight larger-than-life statues stand upon the ledge as well, evenly spaced around the room's circumference- seven carved from white stone, and the eighth carved from black stone.
The eight statues, starting from the southwest and going clockwise:
A tall man with gems set in his forehead, wielding a flaming glaive (1, Karzoug- Greed)
A beautiful woman with wild hair, holding a ranseur (2, Alaznist- Wrath)
A voluptuous nude woman wielding a two-headed guisarme (3, Sorshen- Lust)
A short, smiling man holding a longspear (4, Krune- Sloth)
An obese man with rotting flesh, wielding a scythe (5, Zutha- Gluttony)
A handsome, bearded man in extravagant clothes wielding a lucerne hammer (6,Xanderghul- Pride)
An imperious, heavyset woman holding a mirror and a halberd (7, Belmarius- Envy)
The eighth statue in the south-southeast corner is carved from dark stone and is threefold in form, portraying a tall woman with three faces looking in three different directions. One side has a kind face and cradles a baby in its arms, while a second side displays a more stern expression and holds an hourglass. The third face has a crazed look; its hands are empty, but thornless roses twine up both arms. (8, Pharasma)
Map drawing to come.
Warden of Doors |
Grand Cathedral map
Let me know if there are problems. I kept it pretty small, so you may need to download it to get a good look.
Uwais Freedman |
Uwais and Waya pace slowly around the cathedral, the halfling's face wrinkled in a thoughtful gaze. He pauses an especially long time in front of the Pharasman statue, his brow furrowed. "What an odd cathedral," he asks out loud. "Very unlike the one upstairs. Why do you think Pharasma would allow all these other statues space in her temple?"
Yangzhun Chen |
Assuming since you gave their names, I can identify them as the ancient Runelords.
"It is the Runelords of ancient Thassilon. Maybe this chapel dates from then. Dispite the sins they embodied, all were prideful. But maybe another reason, also ...
knowledge religion 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Warden of Doors |
Assuming since you gave their names, I can identify them as the ancient Runelords.
"It is the Runelords of ancient Thassilon. Maybe this chapel dates from then. Dispite the sins they embodied, all were prideful. But maybe another reason, also ...
knowledge religion 1d20+8
Yeah, about a year ago you guys made a check and identified them all.
Yang:
When Kua touches the hem of Pharasma's robe, an effervescent chill sweeps up his arm and fills him with a sense of confidence and well-being.
For the next ten minutes, Kua gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and saves against fear effects as well as 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 temporary hit points.
Warden of Doors |
A bit of old-fashioned pushing gets the secret door open. A five foot wide, forty food long corridor opens before you, with six alcoves spaced evenly along its length. In each alcove is a gaunt corpse, long since gone leathery and decrepit. As you peer in with darkvision or your magical lights, the skin starts sloughing from each corpse, gathering into a mound on the floor. The tumescent mass grows, blubbery and greasy, from the last remaining bits of flesh on the alcove's corpses until it's a man-sized mass of flab with half-formed limbs and a tumorous face. It garbles something unintelligible and starts inching toward you!
Roll initiative!
Warden of Doors |
initiative 1d20+1
"This crypt is a wonder of strange beings," Yang quips, not as disturbed as you might ordinarily expect. He tries to figure out if he knows what the creature is.
knowledge religion 1d20+8
Modifying this to a 20, since it's a Knowledge- The Planes check.
Yang:
Yangzhun Chen |
Yang's eyes go wide, the normally unflappable mage now looks genuinely frightened. "It is a devil! Called a 'lemure'; normal weapons will not harm it well, we must use silver or blessed weapons!"
Yang calls forth his power and sends two magic missiles towards the beast.
CL check 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
damage 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 3) + 3 = 8
Warden of Doors |
Kua: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Lemure: 1d20 ⇒ 15
Initiative
Lemure- 15
Kua- 14
Yang- 11 (Force Missiles)
Sister Mara- 11
Team Canine (Auron/Jhaik + Uwais/Waya)- 9
I'm assuming you stepped into the corridor/tomb thing- which is unfortunately just five feet wide. Kua in front of the marching order as usual?
The Lemure trundles forward, hurling its bulk at Kua with a wet snarl.
Claws: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 71d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
But the Duskwarden easily deflects the clumsy swing with the haft of his greataxe.
Kua |
Kua grunts in acknowledgement to the hound master as he swings his axe into the rubbery mass of flesh.
Power Attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Damage 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Five foot step backward if there is room, if not, Kua will drop back farther and eat the attack of opportunity.
Warden of Doors |
Kua feels the blade of his axe meet resistance on the lemure's blubbery flesh, but the heavy weapon bites through and leaves a bleeding gash in its shoulder. Yang's force missiles diverge around Kua, zipping past his ears and slam into the devil. It wails- a burbling shriek like a disgruntled baby.
Looks like it hurt it.
Sister Mara |
Round One:
Unable to get a clear shot on the creature past Kua, Sister Mara offers a brief prayer to the Dawnflower and touches Kua on the shoulder - granting him a touch of the Goddess' divine guidance. She then steps back to give the Duskwarden room to retreat to draw the creature out of the narrow passageway.
Standard action to cast Guidance on Kua. Move action to back out of passageway.
Auron Rurikski |
Auron tenses up his muscles as he waits for the creature to close to melee. A short whistle sends Jhaik to the rear, guarding Auron's back.
readied power attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
confirm? 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Warden of Doors |
DM Screen:
The creature continues to pursue Kua out into the temple proper, provoking Auron's wrath. His warhammer slams into the blubber beast's shoulder, leaving its arm to flop elastically in its sloughing flesh. Uwais sends a sling bullet into its temple, with little notable effect. Waya growls and keeps her distance from the unnatural thing.
The Lemure vents its rage on Kua once more, swinging surprisingly sharp claws at the Duskwarden.
Claws: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 81d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
But its many wounds throw it off balance, making it seem more pitiful than threatening.
Auron Rurikski |
Auron continues to follow through his attack, stepping in behind the creature to strike from the blind spot.
He gives his warhammer a powerful swing.
power attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 - 1 = 15 factoring in flank
damage: 1d8 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 2 = 12