Saersha watched her maid work on the finding their way forward and when she discovered the secret passage, seemingly by accident, Saersha let the others enter the room first and caught Embyr once they were past. She pulled the other woman to her for a moment and embraced her while she whispered, softly to her for a moment.
As they moved into the next chamber and looked around Saersha recognized it for what it was, Sorchen's bedchamber, or one of them anyway. "Isn't thin place fascinating," she giggled naughtily for a moment, "Oh the fun we could have in here."
She looked around and saw the swords, moving towards them she examined the room for magical auras and said, "These should be quite valuable, and possibly useful. With the demons we've run into these will prove quite handy in helping defeat them." She looked at the group and added, "I would suggest that anyone able to use one effectively should take one, we can sell the rest for a decent amount."
Once they moved along into the next room through the double doors she noticed the star shaped aura in the middle of the room and said, "Everyone stop, there is an area there," she pointed to teh starburst area, "that contains a strong aura of enchantment. Let me figure out what it does before we go further."
Saersha stepped closer to the area, being careful not to cross it, and tried to determine just what it was meant to do.
Azura notes, "Cold iron's for fighting faeries and demons—almost like a hint of things to come." She glances about the sumptuous decor and adds, "Something of a downer."
The magic's potency appears to have faded somewhat over time--the compulsion effect could be fought off by someone strong-willed.
After looking at the design Saersha said, "This appears to be a suggestion spell of some kind, though it has weakened enough that resistance is possible. Whoever stands inside of the starburst can try to compel someone to do as they wish."
Ryn takes in the sumptuous room, her mind momentarily wandering to all the delectable fun that could be had making a thorough mess of the opulent bed-chamber. Her face coloring slightly she's brought out of her reverie by Azura's comment. "Yeah, definitely disappointing considering the alternative." she says with a sigh.
"Hmm...strong compulsion magic would definitely explain why Grey Maidens would leave their swords lying here...definitely not something in the best interest of self-preservation." the gladiatrix picks up one of the cold iron swords, feeling its heft and balance before sheathing it and strapping it on between her shoulder blades. "Saersha's right though, we should take this with us, they'll probably come in handy."
Ulfr is simultaneously impressed by the room and disgusted with the operation of the starburst. He moves to retrieve a blade. I'm more concerned with the one who did the compelling. Where are they?
"Maybe they're through this door..." Embyr says as she pushes the door open.
In the centre of the square room beyond is a pool of shallow, yet pure and clear water. Doors lead out of the room in all four cardinal directions.
Embyr starts investigating the other rooms, starting with the west.
Stone counters line the walls of this chamber. An additional work slab sits in the centre of the room--all of the countertops are cluttered with beakers, jars, tubes and tools for all manner of ancient alchemical equipment. Many of the items here are caked with strange encrustations of crystals, stains or other residues. A particularly large urn of corroded steel sits in the centre of the westernmost countertop. In total, seven containers of alchemical ingredients are scattered about the countertops.
"Okay..." Embyr wrinkles her nose. "...no telling how long this alchemist stuff has been sitting out here. How much do you want to bet whatever's in here is likely to explode?"
--1 glass flask of oddly-shifting black & white fluid (a potion of displacement)
--1 glass flask of bright pink and bubbling fluid (an elixir of love)
--1 jar of grey ointment with flecks of chipped stone (1 dose of stone salve)
--1 urn containing several pieces of hardened, pliant wax (10 doses of wax of defiance)
Ada picks up one of the swords and slides it into her belt. "Can't hurt to have one on hand. Just in case."
"I have no idea if this will explode. It looks dangerous."
"Yeah..." Embyr nods. "...I'll let the experts handle that."
"Let's see what's behind door number two..." The rogue investigates the northernmost door.
Six stone platforms draped with white sheets stand in this room, with manacles affixed to the four corners of each. What appears to be a metallic bookstand stands at the foot of each platform - one of these stands still holds a large leather tome. The walls are painted a soft, soothing blue.
The book on the stand has ancient Thassilonian text written on its cover; it translates from Thassilonian to Common as ”Dreams And Desires.” A cursory look through its contents reveals that this book deals with the link between dreams and enchantment magic—and perhaps as should be expected in this place, how said link may be manipulated. A few errant arcane scrolls are tucked into its pages.
"So anyone has any idea what this stuff is or how any of the alchemist stuff in the vials works?" Ryn asks as they move through the rooms.
Saersha looked into the alchemy room once Embyr opened it and cast her usual spell for checking magical auras.
She shook her head after a moment and said, "I have no idea which ones are safe or not. I think it is best we leave them alone unless someone is secretly skilled at alchemy."
Saersha looked into the next room after Embyr opened it and noticed the sheets and shackled and said, "Given we've seen one bed chamber and what must be some kind of laboratories in each room after I would assume this is another of the same. Maybe the restraints were to keep subjects safe during an experiment," she paused, hesitating a moment, "or to keep them from running away if they were less than voluntary."
Seeing the book that they found Saersha said, "Oh that could be helpful, and so could those scrolls could be too later on. If we don't need them I will scribe them into my book later when I can actually cast them."
Embyr sidles up to the final door and checks it.
"...huh. Sounds like something's crackling behind this one." She says after a couple of moments. She's not lying--as people get closer to the door, the sound of something electrical can be heard, with what sounds like a low *buzz* accompanying the crackling.
She tentatively pushes the door open.
The centre of the domed chamber beyond the door is dominated by a complex design painted on the floor in dozens of colours--and in the centre of that design is what looks like a sparking and writing violet crack in the air. Wind swirls around the split in the air as it pulses. Broken furniture and debris are scattered about the room; in fact, the only upright piece of furniture left is an iron bookstand by the far wall, upon which sits a large black tome.
"Whoa..."
When Embyr got the next door open and they could look inside Saersha made sure her spell to see magic was active and gestured for everyone to wait. She focused on the room to try and determine what the crack in the air was.
Saersh finished her examination of the crack in the air and said, "IT looks like a portal that has only been partly established. Possibly it wsa always set here but went into a..." she hesitated, trying to think of an appropriate word, and decided on, "dormant state or was never fully opened at all. We might be able to activate it and if we do I think it will lead us closer to our destination."
Ulfr shrugs. Just tell me what you want to do. I am very out of my depth here.
"How do we know it goes somewhere instead of bringing something else here?" asks Azura.
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Saersha considered the questions posed by the others and said, "There is a tome on the bookstand there. I will need to look through that." Saersha gestured for everyone to follow her and then said, "Stay back a bit from the circle and be ready in case this doesn't work the way it should."
Once everyone was ready Saersha reached out to open the tome and read it. She wasn't sure what would be needed to make this work but hopefully this tome would help.
Saersha's investigation of the tome yields some promising results.
Like most other portals, the portal contained within this space requires a particular key to fully activate. However, there is a key difference in how this one operates; depending on what sort of spell or item is presented to it, the portal's destination point changes.
At the moment, casting an enchantment spell upon the portal anomaly will set it to open on the next floor of the Lady's Light. The passage continues on to say that a 'shard' of something is needed to do more with the portal, but the rest of it is smudged and unreadable.
Embyr looks over Saersha's shoulder. "What's it say, Mistress?"
Saersha's right hand came up to cup Embyr's face and rubbed her thumb against the woman's cheek as she finished reading the tome and looked up at the nascent portal. "The portal is different than most as it does not have just one connection point. Depending on what spell or item is presented to it changes it's destination. There is also mention of a 'shard' being needed to do more with the portal. For now though," she smiled, "I think I can get us to the next floor."
Saersh stepped forward and focused on the portal then began to chant and gesture she knew that likely any enchantment would work but it would be best to use one that truly fit the nature of lust. When she was done she unleashed her spell on the nascent portal.
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Azura watches as Saersha casts her spell and her face takes on a look of incredulity.
"Did you just seduce the portal?"
The energies of the portal anomaly flare in response to Saersha's spell. The air and space around it ripple and part like a curtain as the magic takes hold, spreading open into a wide, violet aperture.
Beyond, the party can see what appears to be a stone landing platform with more rowboats moored on it. The area beyond looks like another lake--and this one is shrouded in mist.
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Ulfr starts to laugh. There is nothing Saersha won't try at least once!
Saersha smirked at Azura and asked, "Jealous," with one arched delicate eyebrow. She looked through the portal and heard Ulfr's comment.
Saersa looked back at Ulfr thoughtfully and said, "I wouldn't try and undead...no wait," she caught herself, "with the right protections in place I'd probably try a vampire. The rest of them though, no."
Turning her focus back to the here and now Saersha asked, "So, who goes through the portal first?"
Ulfr continues snickering quietly and walks through with a teasing wink at Saersha as he goes by.
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"It occurs to me that you could just make the magical portals oval in shape and triggered by a small button at the top and no man would be able to figure them out," quips Azura. "C'mon, let's get to it." Hand-in-hand with Ryn, she follows Ulfr through the portal.
Saersha snickered at Azura's comment and watched as she and Ryn headed through the portal. Saersha reached out and pulled Embyr close to her side with one arm around her waist and said, "You continue to impress me My Pet."
Saersha turned to face her maid and reached her other hand up to stroke the back of her figners along Embyr's cheek, "I am very glad you are here with me." She leaned in close like she was going to kiss the red head but instad brought the hand near Embyr's face around and put her index and middle fingers against her lips and said, "I'll show you just how much later on."
Smiling she linked her arm with Embyr's and said, "Shall we go through the portal and see what is on the other side?"
Embyr nods and steps through with Saersha.
The stone platform beyond the portal overlooks an enormous watery cavern, whose walls are covered by phosphorescent lichen that provides modest, yet eerie illumination. A fine layer of mist drifts across the water, following the current as it flows down the nearby falls. Three rowboats are tied to stone posts on the dock's northwestern side, while a carving of a leering demon extending a hand in greeting decorates the stone wall just to the north of the platform. A word has been carved into the stone wall just below the demonic carving.
The portal flickers as everyone steps through before it closes behind them.
Grinning at Azura's quip, Ryn takes her hand following Ulfr through the portal. As they step through onto the stone dock, she takes in their surroundings, almost idyllic, were it not for the leering demon statue.
"Well that's....inviting."
I would shake it's hand, but I'm still afraid to touch anything.
Embyr looks around the platform before pointing off to the south. "Looks like there's another platform over there..."
"...and it looks like the cavern continues that way." She points to the west. "So, which way should we go first?"
"I guess we take the boats over to the next platform. And keep an eye out for surprises like last time." Ryn suggests moving toward one of the rowwboats,
Saersha smirked at Azura and asked, "Jealous," with one arched delicate eyebrow. She looked through the portal and heard Ulfr's comment.
Saersa looked back at Ulfr thoughtfully and said, "I wouldn't try and undead...no wait," she caught herself, "with the right protections in place I'd probably try a vampire. The rest of them though, no."
Turning her focus back to the here and now Saersha asked, "So, who goes through the portal first?"
Azura notes conversationally to Saersha as she holds on to Ryn's hand, "Oooh yeah, tough call. I don't think I'd be comfortable with the undead, and besides... the spirit may be willing but the flesh is probably... rotten and not too responsive. No fiends either."
The party settles into the boats moored at the platform and push off, navigating the currents of the flowing river to arrive at the southernmost wall of the cavern.
A stone platform extends from the cave wall here, its floor a foot from the water surface. An immense red metal door sits in the far wall, its face engraved with numerous scenes depicting a beautiful woman on a throne as numerous strange monsters bow before her--dragons, giants, sea monsters and far more bizarre-looking things. Embyr tilts her head at the door and steps out of the boat to investigate further.
"...looks like one of those doors we found way back at the entrance. Lemme see if I can find something that'll get it open..." She mumbles before tracing the many edges of the door's mural. Eventually, she settles on pushing in on a stone depiction of the beautiful woman using some sort of controlling magic on a giant.
The panel glows softly as she pushes it, and runic Thassilonian writing lights up along the panel's northern edge. When the letters illuminate themselves, the sound of GRINDING stone fills the air, and the door begins to slide open.
A burst of uncomfortably warm air rolls out from beyond the door, and a guttural voice booms from within...
The voice commands, her tone far more guttural and raspy than one would expect.
Ryn gets an apprehensive expression, as she climbs out of the boat, helping Azura out before slipping her shield onto her arm. "Well that sounds less than inviting."
Ulfr glances at Saersha again. Being under the gaze of a Runelord does not sound like a healthy choice.
"Doesn't sound like Saersha at all, either," says Azura. "Sounds like someone who's been chewing on gravel."
Embyr nervously swallows and readies her blade.
Saersha heard the deep rumbling voice claiming to be Sorshen and rolled her eyes. While she felt sure that Sorshen was alive somewhere beneath them she was also sure that the Runelord was deeply sleeping and not active. This person was an imposter and she knew it and she didn't like it.
Saersha was angered by the imperious sounding imposter and narrowed her eyes as she stepped into the room. She was wary of an unexpected attack as her eyes kept moving to look for any signs of an attack and called out, "Who dares to claim the mantle of Sorshen?! Show yourself so that you may be judged a liar!"
Ulfr is just a pace or two behind, club in hand. Now was not the time to slouch on protection.
The long, grand marble hall beyond the door features a single row of pillars down its centre. The vaulted ceiling thirty feet above is painted with lewd frescoes depicting giants and humans engaged in carnal acts set among pastoral scenes. To the south, the hall widens before rising up in a series of steps to a white marble throne. Six large treasure chests sit next to the throne.
The source of the voice becomes quite clear as the party steps into the room--seated on the throne at the hallway's end is a towering, grey-skinned giant, wearing patchwork brown furred hides and sporting a shock of white hair shaped into a mohawk. Their eyes blaze with mad red light that reflects off of the two massive ivory tusks protruding from their jaw. A pair of sleepy, green-scaled lizards the size of ponies look on from opposite sides of the throne.
The giant booms, starting to rise from their throne while staring Saersha down.
Saersha realizes what has happened to the beast and that it's delusion is not of it's own making and her anger faded a bit as she called out, "It is not possible that you are Sorshen and I know this because I am Sorshen's descendant and rightful heir! You have been driven made by isolation and magic used to charm you." Saesha's expression softened a bit as she said, "Think it through, could one as big as yourself have a descendant as small as me?"
Saersha hesitated and then said, "I think I can help you." She began to chant a spell and released at the giant hoping that she could counter the charm on him with her own. Once the spell was released Saersha said, "I want you to act as if the previous charm before I cast my spell was not cast on you."
Ulfr lets the real heir of Sorshen do the talking, but his club's handle creaks as his grip tightens. He brings to mind an old Dwarven war ballad of King Underhill when he fought the Mad Giant Grumblerot the Toothless. This was going to be a fight, he could tell.
Saersha's charm spell takes hold of the giant immediately--the creature's mind appears to be too broken to resist.
The giant's hands fly to their head and they let out an agonized wail as loyalties conflict within their skull, yanking their mind back and forth in a vicious tug-of-war. They rise from their throne, causing their pet monitor lizards to look up in confusion.
The giant takes several faltering steps forward before falling to a knee before Saersha.
Ulfr is about half a second away from attacking the giant before he kneels. Ulfr holds, but is coiled like a huge cat ready to strike.
Azura pats Ryn's arm and says, "That went well, I think. What do we do about the giant lizards?'
"They're unlikely to go along as easily unless they can command them not to attack." Ryn says still ready to engage if either of the lizards moves to attack.
The lizards tilt their heads at the party, but they don't seem inclined to attack.