After Alys snaps off a shot, Sam ducks in front of her a hurls a wad of superheated air towards the elementals as well.
Both Alys and Sammark miss their target's by a wide mark, Alys by a wider mark than Sammark. Although Sammark's shot scraped the wall, and almost certainly would have hit if he'd had an unobstructed shot. The construct, however, manages to get a decent hit in, shredding some energy off the elemental.
Elemental 1 vibrates angrily as it's attacked by the lump of nothing next to it, and slams out against it. The elemental spins like an angry buzz saw and slams into the elemental ripping ectoplasm and sending it splattering over the room. Fortunately for the elemental, it manages to sway with the hit, to rob it of much of it's potential for damage.
Elemental 2 also vibrates angrily, but zooms straight for Sammark, charging the half-elvavian.
But it's anger causes it to completely miss the lucky half-elvavian.
Selvan backs out to give people room to get out.
Reaghar readies an action to fire upon the first elemental enemy he can get a clean shot at, then backs up after taking the shot.
Much like a gunfight at 2AM in a rowdy bar between drunks, there is a lot of shooting and tossing around of attacks, and also a lot of misses and richochets, as Reaghar's attack misses the elemental in front of Sammark by a wide mark.
::Excuse me! Coming through! Oof, Reaghar, lose some weight, pal. It's the usual up there, Selvan.:: Connor said over Selvan's Net as he continued to beat a hasty retreat. He ended up near the Halfling statue-woman, Selvan having also turned around and gotten out of the narrow corridor.
::I think there's only two balls of light. Small ones.:: Connor told Selvan. ::My construct is dancing with one but the other went for Sammark. And the corridor is too crowded for me to make another construct all the way back here.::
Meanwhile, active construct number three continued it's dance with a purplish orb.
"Okay, hold still.", Alys mutters as she aims a shot at the elemental that is now attacking Sam.
Both Alys and Connor's construct miss their target's, although Alys comes close.
Elemental 1 continues to vibrate angrily as it slams into the construct again, and again buzzing like an angry hive of hornets. The angry elemental rips into Connor's construct sending ectoplasm splattering over the entire room, ripping it nearly in half. The poor thing barely holds itself together, one limb falling to the floor with a wet splat before the ectoplasm begins to fade.
Elemental 2 also vibrates angrily, all the attacks on it angering it severely. It spins itself up and rams into Sammark, sending sparks of violet black energy coursing over his body.
Fortunately for Sammark, he manages to take a half-step back and rob the attack of much of it's force.
Sammark manages to get a decent hit in on the elemental in front of him, and send some of the energy splattering off the walls next to him.
Reaghar takes a shot at the elemental nearest Sammark.
"There is a joke here, I know it," Sam said, grinning viciously as he trust his hand at the center mass of the elemental before him.
Both Reaghar and Sammark miss their target by a slim margin.
The two angry elementals buzz louder and attack.
The one attacking the construct misses it, apparently too angry to care.
Sammark's manages to hit, but again the wise-cracking crackerjack Sammark manages to roll with the hit and take minimal damage from it as negative energy courses over him. Perhaps he's developing an immunity to the energy, having absorbed so much over the last few days.
"Aren't you an elusive little creep!" Alys says as she fires another two bolts.
(-2 if it goes at the farther elemental)
The astral construct, despite being torn asunder, kept doggedly attacking the small ball of light.
::How's it going in there? Is everybody all right? Should I send in another construct?:: Connor asked over Selvan's Net. He readied his mind to start manifesting, just in case.
Alys finally lands a solid hit on the construct in front of Sammark, which then promptly detonates.
Almost simultaneously, the one fighting the construct detonates as well. The dogged little construct stands triumphant for a second before collapsing into a pile of ectoplasm that rapidly evaporates.
Alys manages to avoid most of the explosion by ducking behind the corner.
Sam throws his hands up as the poisonous energy washes over him but barely feels a thing. Opening his eyes, he sees the room now cleared of opposition.
"We're in the clear, kiddo. You still on your feet Alys?"
"For a change, I am!" she turns to shout down the corridor: "You guys can stop hiding now, we took care of the big bad light balls!" she stops for a moment "And yes, I'm aware I don't have to shout!"
::And yet, your melodious voice echoes throughout the complex.:: Connor teased as he came up to join them. ::We need not be concerned with the element of surprise.::
Flashing his ring light around the room, Connor decided to search thoroughly to make sure there were no balls of light hiding in air ducts. It would also give the others time to join them.
::We've got a small square, no, slightly rectangular, room with one long corridor going off at an angle.:: Connor reported over Selvan's Net.
The room is coated with murals, but this time they appear to chronicle important figures in the city's history. Some of the murals take up an entire four foot wide six feet tall section, some take up the top or bottom of said section. Some are only two by two feet.
::Now these are interesting.:: Connor declared, stopping to memorize several scenes. [dice=Autohypnosis: Memorize DC 15]1d20+6[/dice] ::It's not a map of the continent, nor a detailed ledger of the humanoid and non-humanoid inhabitants, but this might help when it comes time to chronicle this Halfling city.::
While Connor inspects the murals, Alys takes a moment to focus herself and create a new psychic strike bullet.
Connor moves on down the long hallway, getting to another room at the end, and finding an open door. Looking into the room, he finds what was at one point a store, based on the shelves still mouldering on the walls. It looks like it might have been a general store. A counter is next to the door, and tables and shelves in various states of collapse scatter the central area. It looks long abandoned.
::End of the lower quadrant of this city.:: Connor told everyone. He got out his map maker's kit and started sketching.
::So...:: Connor began, ::this leaves the "overwhelming energy hole-in-the-wall" and the last quadrant. And maybe one or two rooms we skipped over. I'll have to check with my map when we're done.::
::I want Hero back.:: Connor declared.
"doesnt matter to me. This place isn't particularly lucrative and we have snowcoat. We could just leave."
"Then let's see if we can't get your better half back."
::Thanks!:: Connor replied, genuinely moved by Alys' emphasis. He put away his map maker's kit. Using his ring light, Connor led the way back to the room full of pillars and the petrified Snowcoat.
Once there, Connor racked his brain one last time about why his constructs and psicrystal would be cut off from communication.
::I'll ask to have you guys and gal put a rope around me and I'll dive into the room. If I get too much of this 'energy', I'll take out my dagger and injure myself. Alys,:: Connor said through Selvan's Net, ::you're also injured, so you can reach through and grab me if the rope isn't enough. All I want to do is grab Hero off of the floor or whatever and leave.::
::But first, I'm going to try a theory. Hero would appreciate this. I'm going to try putting ectoplasm all over myself.:: The Humavian manifested [i]ectoplasmic creation, slathering all over himself. ::Maybe this will protect me from the positive energy, maybe not. But it won't hurt me to try.:: Connor said, grimacing at the clammy feel of the substance.
You leap through the curtain, and it is a curtain, as you pass through it, you heal 7 hp, then take on 9 temporary HP. You feel better than you ever have! You feel like you could punch through solid stone. You feel as if you could run a marathon while juggling three Hero's.
Once Connor leaps through, the silk rope crackles in the wall, sending off sparks. He's out of sight though, the wall of energy blocks everything not immediately on the other side of it.
::Testing, testing, can you guys and gal hear me? Sammark? Selvan? Regahar? Alys? Tenfa?:: Connor sent slowly through Selvan's Net, enunciating every syllable.
Connor breathed heavily. He felt good - too good. Close one there, I bet. I'll probably need to hurt myself with my dagger if I don't want to blow up on the return trip. he thought to himself. Connor kept up a little pressure on the rope line, using the lessons from the skyship orientation for people walking around at high turbulence.
In fact, I don't trust anything on this side. Connor thought, and pulled out his dagger, pulled back his sleeve, and cutting the top of his forearm with the metal tip.
Connor let his eyes adjust to the darkness, running his ring light over the floor. Hero, he sent, HERO. REPORT. His mind also called for the constructs to return to him.
Everyone hears over the network.
::Testing, testing, can you guys and gal hear me? Sammark? Selvan? Regahar? Alys? Tenfa?:: Connor speaks slowly, as if speaking to simpletons.
Waving the signet ring around, you see nothing in room 23. Other than rubble. There is a path of sorts through the rubble, as if someone had passed through regularly and kicked the stones to the side to aid their coming and going. It leads around the corner toward a passage.
::Yeah.::
::Excellent!:: Connor sent. ::I'm in a cave room, not a normal smooth-walled room like the city. This room has a well-worth path through the rubble. Hero mentioned the rubble. I'm using a dagger on myself so I can be pulled through the 'curtain' if I have to. But it's not a room effect, so I'm not dead from too much power.::
Ow. I felt that one. And it actually drew blood.
::The cave here curves too much for you to pull me with a rope without banging me all over the place. So as long as I don't start tugging in a desperate pattern, I'm okay. I'll also keep up a running dialogue. So if I stop the tension and talking, I'm a statue.:: Connor told the others.
Connor inched his way along the cave wall, his left clenched fist with his ring light showing the way, dagger in the other hand, his anticipation keeping his nerves on edge should a monster appear out of the darkness.
"Don't take any stupid risks boyo, that's my job, yeah?" Sam says over the link, "Just get your jewelry and come back."
::Oh that's why Selvan complains when I do it!:: Alys adds with an ironic tone of enlightenment.
::You're right.:: Connor replied through Selvan's Net. ::Now that I'm here, I'll make a construct to do any trap-finding.::
Craft (Sculpting) check:
A result of 20 to 29 creates a construct that looks like an accurate portrayal of that creature type.
N Small construct
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception -
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +5 natural, +1 size)
HP 15 (1d10+10)
Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0; Immune construct traits
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
(only if changed to attack) Melee slam +1 melee, 1d6+5 damage with Power Attack (Ex) and Improved Slam Attack (Ex)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 15, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 10
BAB +1, CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats -
Skills: Can perform any simple task of DC 10 or less for its' duration.
SPECIAL ABILITIES (Two options from Menu A; one option from Advanced Constructs Menu A)
Improved Slam Attack (Ex)
Power Attack (Ex)
Utility (Ex)
::Sending it forward. I'll stay here at the edge of the first cave room. Uh. Still using the dagger on myself, I'm drawing some blood on my arm.:: Connor continued to send.
The little construct trundles off down the little corridor and turns left. It never comes back.
::Well that didn't work.:: Connor sent over the network in a disgusted tone of voice several minutes later. ::The construct just turns the corner and never comes back. It's like a bottomless pit in there.::
::Ow. Still stabbing myself with the dagger for the return trip. I've only got enough mental energy for a half-dozen constructs, and I was hoping they would do the heavy lifting with Snowcoat tonight. I'll make one more construct, and tie some twine to it, and send it in.:: Connor said. He shrugged off his backpack, manifesting the astral construct next to him as he talked. ::I still get the feeling Hero's alive, so I don't think there's a dragon on the other side eating whatever comes through this cave tunnel. Otherwise I'd have Hero describing being ingested. Instead, all I have is silence. If a creature is turning them to stone, well, Hero doesn't "see", so I thought he would be immune. Maybe it is a bottomless pit and Hero is too far away now. Here we go.::
This silvery-transparent mannequin of a winged Humavian stands shorter than a Halvavian. It is ready to move by silent command from its master.
Craft (Sculpting) check:
A result of 10 to 19 creates a creature that is recognizably similar to the desired creature shape.
N Small construct
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception -
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +5 natural, +1 size)
HP 15 (1d10+10)
Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0; Immune construct traits
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (Average)
(only if changed to attack) Melee slam +2 melee, 1d4+3 damage
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 15, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 10
BAB +1, CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats -
Skills: Can perform any simple task of DC 12 or less for its' duration.
SPECIAL ABILITIES (One option from Menu A; one option from Advanced Constructs Menu A, taken twice)
Fly (Ex)
Utility (Ex) (2x)
::And for good measure, ow, stabbed myself in the arm again, I'll do a detect psionics-and-magic, since I'm in here past the curtain. I forgot to do that.::
Not detecting any magic or psionics, but, the walls are stone, so they'd block anything around the corner.
The construct moves along the corridor. It gives first one, then a second tug as it unwinds the twine, about ten seconds apart. Then it gives two rapid tugs, and the twine continues to unwind a few more feet before the line goes completely slack. There are no more tugs.
::All right, here goes.:: Connor told everyone. ::Nothing magical in the room, it seems. The construct is hovering into the passageway. Feels like 20 seconds is clear, now it tugs saying it sees Hero, now...nothing. Nothing! The line's gone slack!::
::OW!:: Connor telepathically "spoke" over the connection. ::Sorry, hit my leg in frustration, and I forgot I was holding the dagger. I'd better take it out. Ye-ouch! Ok, that went a little deep. It felt like the construct got a few feet beyond whatever "froze" Hero before it "froze" as well. So maybe I can crawl up there, grab Hero, and leave. So that's what I'm going to do.::
Connor crawls forward and around the corner. Ahead is a room filled with gold coins, armor, weapons, paintings, and other treasures.
As Connor crawls forward, he sees a small globe with hero inside, like a crystal ball, sitting on a pedastal. When he tries to tell the others, he realizes the link isn't working anymore.
When he turns to crawl back, he finds himself nose to snout with a silver reptilian face about the size of a cow.
Connor leaped back onto his rear. "D-d-d-r-r-a-" he sputtered, arms covering his face protectively, the ring's cone of light splaying everywhere.
Nothing on the telepathic link, although there is still some pressure on the rope.
"Connor?" Sam ventures, grabbing the rope and getting ready to pull.
The silver head moves after Connor, nostrils as big as his head breathing out icy cold air over his skin. Connor scrambles backwards until his back slams into the pedestal, making the crystal roll off the top and land on his lap, an angry Hero inside bouncing around.
"Sooooo..." The voice rumbles low and vibrates through Connor's bones. "Not only do I have to deal with winged vermin infesting my skies, now they sneak in to steal my things like rats in a larder..." Above entrance into the room, as his light flashes back and forth, Connor sees another shelf, which the silver dragon is using as a lounging area. His long silver neck keeping his head in front of Connor as he lays stretched out, more gold and treasure behind him.
Looking down the rope, one scaly arm reaches down to grab the rope and give a massive jerk on it, pulling it toward Connor with massive corded muscles that slide smoothly under the shiny hide.
Suddenly, as Connor's voice goes silent, a few seconds later the rope suddenly pulls faster, as if Connor were running. Another 15 ft vanishes into the portal, and then it stops for a second. Then the entire rope pulls toward the portal as if a charging rhino had grabbed it in passing.
[dice=Autohypnosis: Resist Fear, DC 24]1d20+6[/dice]
"W-w-w-ait!" Connor cried out, putting his hands up. "W-w-we-'re j-u-ust here for S-n-n-nowcoat! Ten-f-f-f-a asked us! To clean her c-c-c-i-ty! The balls of l-l-li-ght!" His mind was going a mile a second, saying Get away, get away, get away! ::Let go, let go, run!:: he telepathed on Selvan's Network.
Connor looked down at his lap at the globe. "I j-j-j-ust came for Hero." he bemoaned.
Feeling the rope start pulling, Sam twists a length around his forearm and held on grimly.
Reaghar was holding the rope, but when it jerks quickly out, he lets go.