Desmond's intuition proves true. After experiencing the delightful summer day in the alcove, he approaches the rapidly chilling winter alcove, inserts the key and turns it with a satisfying click. The key disappears but the pent up energy in the alcove harmlessly dissipates.
Ghardak goes into the beautiful Spring day in the Southwest corner, grasping a key that appears then rushing to the opposite corner and using it to click the mechanism to shut down the Fall alcove.
Selena and Maruta move toward the deactivated alcoves until the energy builds then expends before the group rushes to deactivate the last two alcoves before they can go off again. It is easy enough for them to gather the last keys and deactivate the last alcoves. When the final key clicks in place, the vault door swings open, revealing a heavy portcullis,
which retreats into the ceiling to reveal yet more doors. All in all, seven massive vault doors in row open in the span of seconds. You can now descend the stairs into the vault’s heart. Lelzeshin doesn’t linger. He instead descends into the vault ahead.
Beyond the seven vault doors, a breathtaking sight awaits—a sheer endless array of riches and gold, all surrounding a pedestal, atop which a wooden circlet rests. The circlet sprouts flowers and leaves that flourish, wither, and die in an endless cycle.
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"That was fun!" Cirri hustles.
"Oh! Everyone drink up. Unless you are allergic to vitality..."
She offers Ocean's Balm to all of her friends.
It... almost heals everyone fully.
Cirri sees the only treasure worth a damn. "Wow, it's blossoming and then rotting... incredible. Wh-what is it?"
Cirri will try to Recall Knowledge using Nature.
Cirri knows that the crown is the Perennial Crown, a unique artifact tied to Bhopan and the Fey.
She is also correct in her assessment that it is easily the most valuable item in the chamber. In fact, while the vault contains impressive riches, a closer look reveals that the vault walls are magically mirrored, creating an array of refractions that extend toward endlessly reflected infinities in all directions.
"This is the royal vault, the accumulation of all the riches of the royal family of Bhopan for ages. And don't worry. We're past the part that's dangerous to me," Lelzeshin answer Desmond, somberly.
Lelzeshin speaks with a hint of sadness, “Believe me, I am very sorry. I wish there was another way. But I need to lead my people into a new age. You see, I will thwart you thieves and coincidentally discover the truth of the vault. I will usher in a new age for Bhopan. Rest assured, your sacrifice will not be in vain.”
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"Wait, but if you let us in... and we disarmed the dangerous trap..." Cirri counts on her fingers. "and the royal jewels are here... and then you cash in on the sullied Pathfinder reputation to make us look like thieves..."
"Wait! You're betraying us?" Cirri squawks. She patiently waits for confirmation, even letting Lelzeshin act first. Say it ain't so!
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Maruta spits on Lelzeshin - burning acid powered by primal magic causes it to melt his skin!
PTOO!!!
◆◆) Camel Spit
◆) Stride to share a Square w/ Desmond
"I'm afraid so. And I assure you, it is not easy. I truly did like you Pathfinders. But it must be done for the greater good of Bhopan," Lelzeshin answers Cirri.
He then ducks his head to the side, letting Maruta's acidic loogey sail past his face.
As he moves to attack, two of his infinite reflections in the mirrored surfaces of the walls push their way out, the wall flowing like liquid before snapping back into a solid behind them as they break free. One is color shifted blue while the other is color shifted red.
They move to engage the nearest Pathfinders while Lelzeshin sends a bolt of fire through the mirror behind him only for it to come out behind Selena and hit her before she is ready.
plus
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"Really..." Cirri finds herself under attack. "Well, I don't think this will be easy."
"Winds of the north!" She reels back from the first kukri.
"Seas of the south!" She backsteps from the second.
"Come to my aid!" Water streams around her, briefly forming into a cudgel she can use to bash the Blue reflection. She ◆Channels Elements and Strikes for free.
"Well, it was worth a shot. Four Winds! Propel us to victory!"
>◆◆Four Winds< propels Cirri, Maruta, Francine and Ghardak into battle!
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Maruta rides the winds to stride beneath Ghardak's feet
"Ash!" he whispers the single-syllable vocal component - his aura "sheds" ashes which rush in three different directions to confound the treble reflections.
↺) Stride to Ghardak w/ Four Winds
◆◆◆) Blazing Bolt
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“You tricked us!” Selena’s voice cracks. She had expected cruelty from their enemies, but not from one of her own kind. Not from another fey.
“You will pay for your treachery!” she spits with wrath. Selena imbues her boomerang sheath with her own spark. She draws a copy of her +1 Striking Boomerang and throws it to a target.
vs Lelzeshin
B damage plus 4 spirit damage
◇ Shift Immanence (when she rolls Initiative)
◇ Interact to draw weapon from Shadow Sheath
◆ Strike
Failing to hit, she Sparks Transcendence by letting the shadow weapon fade, but the second Strike is hidden along the first.
◆ Liar’s Hidden Blade (transcendence)
> ◇ Interact to draw weapon from Shadow Sheath
> ◇ Strike
> ◇ Interact to draw another weapon from Shadow Sheath.
vs Lelzeshin, OG
B damage plus 6 spirit damage to OG target
Root Epithet – The Radiant: After you Spark Transcendence, you inspire an ally within 30 feet to push on, restoring Hit Points equal to 2 + double your level [2*4] to Desmond (10 HP); this is a mental and emotion effect. The ally is then temporarily immune for 10 minutes.
Finally, the spark flies out of her ikon into another ikon (shield). She then draws her shield.
◇ Shift Immanence to Salvo Shield (after transcendence)
◆ Interact to Raise Salvo Shield (+2c to AC)
Mirrored Aegis – Immanence: The salvo shield becomes a mirrored aegis that emits 15-ft emanation aura, protecting her and allies within with +1 status bonus to AC.
Desmond blocks the first blow aimed against him with his shield.
Cirri's cudgel fails to connect with the reflection by a hair's breadth.
Only Maruta's blazing bolt against the red shifted reflection seems like it is going to hit before the reflection nimbly dodges out of the way.
Selena's second boomerang connects then she heals up Desmond for the remaining damage he has taken.
Desmond undoes most of the good work Lelzeshin did then knocks one of the reflections to the floor in a quite impressive way. Everyone holds their breath for a moment as they wait for it to shatter like a dropped mug. Instead, it just makes a hollow thud as it hits with only a slight chip coming out of its surface, indicating that the glass it is made of is Hardened.
Ghardak's swing misses.
Fran's hips don't lie and she entrances the Blue reflection before running it through with her rapier, though she can tell it is only the confident way she finishes the thrust that causes it any harm.
Lelzeshin proves that he is out for blood by moving to flank Desmond, putting the medic off guard against both his and his reflection's attacks.
The Red reflection rises to its feet and joins in the assault.
Blue decides Francine is the larger threat and slashes at her with his kukri.
[ooc]Round 2/3 the BOLD may act
Maruta
Francine -20 hp
Desmond -28 hp
Lelzeshin -13, Red -1, Blue -7
Cirri
Selena -8 hp, 3 persistent fire damage
Ghardak
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Maruta narrows his eyes in anger. He blows a soft green wind forth, then snaps his fingers, causing a fiery spark to propel forward, catalyzing the wind, and coalescing across from Lelzeshin into a large insect with a barbed tail!
~) ⛨19, ♥️34/34
◆◆◆) Summon Animal (Rank 2)
~) Spellslots @ 1☑□□□, 2☑☑□□, ☀️□□
We'll see who will stab who in the back!
Angry at being woken from a pleasant nap in a warm cave, Maruta's fire alights it's eyes which glow red - it lashes out at the nearest moving thing twice with it's lightning-fast pincir, dripping with toxin!
Cave Scorpion
Perception +7; darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 30 feet
Skills Athletics +7, Stealth +7
Str +2, Dex +4, Con +3, Int -5, Wis +2, Cha -4AC 16; Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +5
HP 20Speed 30 feet, climb 15 feet
Melee [one-action] pincer +9 [+5/+1] (agile, finesse), Damage 1d8+2 slashing plus GrabMelee [one-action] stinger +9 [+4/-1] (finesse), Damage 1d6+2 piercing plus cave scorpion venomCave Scorpion Venom (poison) Saving Throw DC 17 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 1d4 poison damage (1 round); Stage 2 1d6 poison damage and enfeebled 1 (1 round); Stage 3 1d8 poison damage and enfeebled 2 (1 round)
~) ⛨16, ♥️20/20
◆◆) Strike x2
(poison)
Saving Throw DC 17 Fortitude
Maximum Duration 6 rounds
Stage 1 1d4 poison damage (1 round)
Stage 2 1d6 poison damage and enfeebled 1 (1 round)
Stage 3 1d8 poison damage and enfeebled 2 (1 round)
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Selena feels the rush of cool ocean water quenching her thirst and the flames that burn her. 'Thanks! Cool trick!" she says.
vs persistent fire
She continues raising her shield, but this time, ethereal shields surround her and Francine for protection.
◆ Raise the Wall - Selena and one ally (Francine) within 15 ft gain a +1 status bonus to AC, Reflex saves, and any save vs force, spirit, vitality, or void effect for 1 min.
> ◇ Raise a Salvo Shield, +2 circumstance to AC
The spark then flies out of her ikon and imbues it back into the sheath of her weapon. She throws her boomerang at Blue, energized with electricity.
◇ Shift Immanence to sheath of weapon (Shadow Sheath) (after transcendence)
◇ Interact to draw weapon from Shadow Sheath
◆ Strike
vs Blue
B damage plus 4 electricity damage
◇ Interact to draw weapon from Shadow Sheath
◆ Strike
vs Blue
B damage plus 4 electricity damage
3 persistent fire damage, then vs persistent fire
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Ocean's Balm heals Selena for Hit Points.
She also gets Fire Resistance 2 for 1 minute.
She also gets an immediate flat check to remove persistent fire damage with especially appropriate help.
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Desmond recoils from the attacks. "Whoa! Don't you see I'm a medic? There's rules on that kind of thing!" Seeing as the reflections aren't living, he takes out his frustrations at being targeted by kicking it with his heavy boots. Then he removes himself from the deadly line of battle to tend to his own wounds and defend himself.
Recovering from the shock of being betrayed by Lelzeshin, the Pathfinders find their path, landing hit after hit on their opponents.
Though Cirri does not hit her target, she does heal up Selena and provide her protection from her ongoing burning.
Lelzeshin tries to dodge the incoming stinger of the scorpion Maruta summons, but is too surprised by its sudden appearance and doesn't quite get out of the way.
He is not affected by the poison, however
Ghardak gives the mirrored Lelzeshin he is fighting the opportunity to rethink its very short life choices but it still chooses violence. Ghardak then demonstrates that if you live by the kukri you die by the hammer.
Selena continues to burn but shrouds herself and Francine in an energy shield. She then hits Blue hard enough that visible cracks appear.
Desmond gives Lelzeshin some battlefield etiquette reminders, reinforced by punching the red reflection so fast and hard it cracks before healing himself up.
Francine finds one of the cracks created in the blue reflection and jams her rapier through to pierce its magical innards and crack open the opposite side.
It collapses in a pile of fine dust.
Lelzeshin knows better than to waste his time trying to kill a summoned scorpion and goes to attack the summoner.
He begins by feinting with his kukri, the mirrors in the room making the motion all the more disorienting.
But his second motion with the kukri is all too serious.
[/dice]
Desmond bandaging himself up just gives the Redflection more cutting to do.
Eyes alight with Red, the scorpion skitters towards both Lelzeshin, striking at the reflection as it deals with Desmond.
~) ⛨16, ♥️20/20
◆) Stride
◆) Strike
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PTOO!!!
Weaving primal magic to motivate the scorpion, Maruta spits another acid drop, aiming at Lelzeshin's eye!
~) ⛨19, ♥️09/34
◆) Sustain Summon Animal (Rank 2)
◆) Attack w/ Camel Spit
◆) Step
~) Spellslots @ 1☑□□□, 2☑☑□□, ☀️□□
And retreats a moment behind his allies.
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That's a nasty kukri. Cirri proceeds to use >◆Ocean's Balm< on Maruta to help alleviate the cut. "Drink up!"
It heals for about hit points.
Cirri thinks about shrieking, but the cute scorpion is in the way. And is providing a flank.
Cirri ◆Steps into danger to help set up future flanks, and then she swings at the Red reflection. "You can stop doing this at any time, you know!"
Her water blast splashes into the floor. "Aaaaanytime..."
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Divine spark on her sheathe, Selena darts her boomerang at the enemy!
◆◆ Blinding of the Needle (transcendence) – On a Successful Strike, target must succeed at DC 20 Fortitude save or become blinded for 1 round or until it uses an Interact action to clear the blood from its vision.
Hero Point!
B damage plus 4 electricity damage
Root Epithet – The Radiant: After you Spark Transcendence, you inspire an ally within 30 feet to push on, restoring Hit Points equal to 2 + double your level [2*4] (for Maruta (10 HP)); this is a mental and emotion effect. The ally is then temporarily immune for 10 minutes.
The spark flies out and goes to her shield with protection for Maruta.
"Stay close behind me, my friend."
◆ Raise the Wall - Selena and one ally (Maruta) within 15 ft gain a +1 status bonus to AC, Reflex saves, and any save vs force, spirit, vitality, or void effect for 1 min.
> ◇ Raise a Salvo Shield, +2 circumstance to AC
3 persistent fire damage, then vs persistent fire
The scorpion is unable to find any purchase on the Redflection.
But Maruta successfully spits right in the eye of their ally turned enemy.
Ghardak nails the real Lelzeshin with his hammer.
Desmond earns himself 7 years bad luck, though the reflection almost nimbly dodges his first blow.
Francine finds her target shattered into little pieces and has to reorient.
Cirri heals up Maruta but does nothing to heal down Lelzeshin.
Selena takes a page from Maruta's book and further assaults Lelzeshin's eyes.
Though he is unaffected by that part of the assault. Getting hit in the face with a boomerang hurts pretty bad, though.
She also manages to heal both Maruta and Francine.
"No! For the glory of Bhopan you must all die!" Lelzeshin declares as his last reflection is destroyed and he is surrounded by the Pathfinders.
He makes another feinting slash, this time at Fran and she gets the unmistakable impression that another reflection is coming at her from behind.
Only his first attack her hits and Ghardak's offer of redemption is ignored but affects him anyway.