The fight was over before Simon had to intervene.
Not that he could have anyway, his paws carefully closed around the poisonous gas vial.
As he leaves the room, he calls a couple of warnings to Zadira.
"Take care, these vials are very fragile indeed-grch.
My chest had a tripple-string trigger running attached.
Look out for the third one, it is hidden within the lid-meew."
For good measure, he whispers another small prayer for her as well.
After leaving the room, Simon joyfully pads Emilys head and rubs his head along her massively muscled neck, purring low.
Poppet quickly peeks out from behind the Jester and asks, "Are those bugs gone?" And darts behind the gnome again.
Zadira proceeds to the second chest on the left and finds a Sythe mounted into the ground just below the chest. She carefully, oh so carefully, disconnects the trigger. Inside is more robes and daggers and cloaks.
Using the same procedure, the two also manage to disarm a poison dart trap and a magical cold trap similar to the one guarding the illusion monster's lair.
As soon as the stirges are dead, she will give Emily a good pet as a "thank you" gesture.
Grelthe spits on a dead stirge. "Filthy bugs. I hate these things. We are lucky we took them out so quickly - they carry disease, but I think we are all okay." She squints at each person who were near the stirges in turn.
In response to Harkon: "I always forget to use that ability as often as I probably should, but in this case I am thankful I did not. I wonder what is causing this area to ping as evil so overwhelmingly... perhaps it is desecrated ground or something?"
Zadira goes and heedlessly opens the other (presumably) non-trapped chests.
... From the doorway, with her Open spell. :)
One chest nearly explodes as a lightning bolt streaks across the room!
The other chest leaks smoke that fills the room, but not thickly enough to impede vision.
All the chests have now been opened. The contents are utterly mundane.
Zadira gathers up the cloaks in case they need extra if it gets cold at some point, and then tries to think of anything that would make everything ping as evil...
You find that you're facing a cult of Orcus, one of the Gods of the Undead. The spell effect is probably some kind of permanent desecration.
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Said in a venomous whisper "Orcus" he throws the unholy robes back where they came and then speaks more clearly, "this room shows evidence that demonic, wannabe, good for nothing, god of the undead's cult has a presence here, likely nearby. None of you are fans of his are you?"
After hearing that the reason for the evil presence in the area is due to an unhallow spell, "I expect we will encounter more areas such as this as we move about, we should be prepared for multiple encounters with his followers."
How do we get rid of the evil?
After the traps detonated and the chests opened Poppet and The Jester enter the room.
That's a pretty impressive spell. Can you cast it?
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Harkon looks a little sheepish and replies "Heh, heh, well, no, I am afraid my spellcasting talents bend toward the arcane tradition. Consider it a talent, if you will. My order concentrates on a different aspect of Paladinhood so that we never learn divine spells."
As the embarrassment passes, he pipes up, " Any Cleric or Paladin capable of casting that spell is a worthy ally indeed."
I'm not sure that any of us are able to command that level of magic, no matter our talent or devotion. Perhaps we should gain a little more skill first, if that is the only way to rid this area of evil.
Maybe ve should leaf dis area and muv on. Ve cannot cleanse it now. Shud ve have Simon mark it so ve know vat it is? Ve did promise de spirit ve would cleanse de area." Vuzi calls from the door. She has no interest in going into a room that is filled with evil.
Zadira (as always) maps the room and writes notes about what is needed, when they are able to command the necessary magic.
"Aye that's not a spell I'm able to access, regardless of my devotion and faith. We have run into followers of Orcus before down here, and no, none of us are 'fans,' Harkon. We have destroyed them before, we will destroy them again." She looks uncomfortable, like she is trying to decide whether to say more or not. "...Be careful, the evil magics are so strong here they can corrupt even the purest souls... one of the enemies we had to fight used to be the legendary paladin Saracek." She shakes her head sadly, and her focus comes back to the room they are in.
"Just in case the cultists come back here, maybe we should take the weapons at least... I also have an urge to burn the clothes, but if they are not magic, I suppose there is no harm leaving them."
We can burn them... and why don't you just sunder the weapons like you did that one time?
At the thought of fire the Jester perks up and hastily agrees with Zadira, "Yes, yes, burn the robes. That would be the best course of action."
"I haf a Wand of Burning hands ve cud use for de robes." Vuzi pulls it out. She's still not willing to go into the room if she can avoid it.
I can burn them. No need to use your wand if you don't want to. Zadira says.
What do you guys think? Several sparks to watch them smoulder first, burning hands to catch some of them on fire and let it spread, or should we go for an all-out fireball?
"Spark should be adequate, no reason to extend spells unnecessarily. I suppose smashing the weapons to smithereens would work just as well as taking them. Maybe better." She shrugs and starts smashing.
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The party successfully destroys the contents of the "dorm" using both magical and traditional means.
After some scouting and snooping you find routes to three other sections. One to the level where the spiders and the trolls are (6A), one that leads upward to level 2, and one that leads to an unexplored region of the dungeon (4B-F).
"How about that way," The Jester suggests, while Poppet nods his head in agreement.
The party proceeds down the winding tunnel that seems to lead places instead of ending in dead ends like most of the offshoots do. After the better part of an hour of travel, they come to a place where the walls even out. They enter a worked stone hall ten feet wide. At the end of the 60' hall there stands a huge obsidian door with a lever-like handle in the center. Two alcoves can be seen about 40' down the hall.
Vuzi moves near the front of the group and casts Detect Magic down the hallway toward the door and the alcoves. "Dis looks too easy. It's probably trapped."
There is a slight aura, but its mainly abjuration and a sprinkle of illusion, nothing agressive.
Zadira scouts ahead, moving slowly so that her automatic trapfinding abilities have a chance to work.
If nothing else triggers her danger sense, she moves up to within 10 feet of one of the alcoves to check it.
As Zadira peeks around the right alcove a steel blade impacts the stone mere factions of an inch away from her head! She backpedals fast as two black boned skeletons advance from the alcoves and move toward the party!
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Without flinching, Harkon concentrates briefly as he moves forward and uses his innate ability to summon a personal portal as he moves to end on the opposite side of the skeleton nearest to Zadira (and hopefully provide a flank) and will then grit his teeth and attempt to strike down the black skeleton with a power attack:
Confirm?
"Praise Gorum, our strength shall prevail!"
The Jester grins as the black-boned skeletons attack Zadira and launches a quip in their direction, ”Why don’t skeletons like to dance?”
Poppet chimes in, ”Because they ain’t got no body to dance with.” The sound of their banter uplifts their allies.
Allies:
inspire courage +2 competence bonus on attack and damage rolls for all allies that can perceive the performance. +2 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects.
Skeleton #2 (the one not attacked by Harkon)
Compelling Voice: -2 to will saves
Zadira steps back so she can shoot, drawing blunt arrows for maximum effect.
(point blank, favored enemy, rapid shot)
(point blank, focused shot, favored enemy)
With a shout Harkon absolutely demolishes one of the skeletons in a single, mighty blow! Zadira fares much less favorably and fails to land a shot!
Simon and Emily both manage to slip by the remaining skeleton and get behind it, providing a nice flank!
Grelthe remembers Black Skeletons being difficult to damage, so she will call out that once someone finds a chink in the armor to keep hitting the same spot (switch out her shared teamwork feat from Outflank to Punch Through).
She will then take advantage of the flanking opportunity and strike out wielding her morningstar with both hands.
As a full-round action, you may make a single attack against a target. If the attack hits and deals damage to the target, all of your allies with this feat ignore up to 5 points of damage reduction against the same target for 1 round. This feat does not apply to damage reduction without a type (such as DR 10/—).
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"De ver perfectly gud specimines. O vell." Vuzi sighs as she doesn't get the opportunity to control one of them. She swings her sling around and tries to hit the remaining enemy.
Both Vuzi and Grelthe hit, but the skeleton stands. The thing steps right up the largest threat, Harkon, and dances it's twin short swords right through his defences!
Vuzi shakes her head slightly and sends another sling bullet at the skeleton.
Zadira takes a step to maximize her sightline and then shoots more blunt arrows, focusing on shooting a little straighter.
(point blank, favored enemy, rapid shot)
(point blank, focused shot, favored enemy)
Working as a team, the party takes down the other skeleton!
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Moving no further down the suspect hall, Harkon calls to his allies, "Gather near me any who have had a small amount of energy drain, Gorum has seen fit to grant me the ability to restore such minor drains, but I can do so only once a day to any person restored. I shall exercise my power of faith to all within thirty feet."
Harkon will use LoH to exercise his power of faith to lesser restore ability damage to anyone within 30 feet once the team is ready and only the affected are within 30 feet:
At 8th level, the nimbus of light heals the paladin and her allies, curing of them of 1d4 points of ability damage, as per the spell lesser restoration. A creature can only be healed in this way once per day.
He will then use a second LoH to restore hit point damage to himself and offer the same to any hurt members of the party.
Once that is concluded, he addresses the trap finder "My dear, I believe the way is once again clear for you to make it safe for the rest of us."