Ian examines the area once more for any other clues, then heads deeper into the sewers, generally taking whichever path has the fewest rats. (unless someone stops him or advises a different plan).
Ian leads the way down the other passage from the room with the symbols, taking the group past the woman's lair.
A couple of wrong turns are quickly aborted as the presence of rats gives clue to being the wrong way to go.
The group soon finds itself in a chamber that stretches into the darkness. A sickly pool of sewage fills the center of the chamber, while a 10' wide walkway skirts around it. A number of passages other than the one entered by branch off this chamber.
In the pale light of Serelina's light spell is seen a ripple moving from somewhere near the center towards the closest edge of the walkway, though nothing surfaces or comes into view. It slaps against the edge of the stone.
Ian looks up around the ceiling, slowly taking his greatsword off his back and unsheathing it. "We're close." He starts walking slowly along the 10' wide walkway, sword in front of him.
"Do we want light over there?"
Ian moves a little ways down the walkway, the other following at varying distances.
Suddenly the water rises up near Ian in a large vaguely humanoid shape, filthy watery tendrils reaching for him.
This is a water elemental.
Soliel stays back, while the others are slow to react.
Two watery fists slam into Ian.
A second similar watery creature rises up next to Edmond and Serelina before Serelina finally calls out, "Water elementals. Not to dangerous if stay out of the pool."
Ian turns just in time to get slammed in the chest and stomach, almost stumbling back from the force. He swings twice in retaliation.
Edmond takes a step back and begins to cast, launching a bolt of fire so hot it challenges the very hells at the largest of the elementals.
Snake man makes an attack.
Ian scores with both attacks, spraying water across the large pool. Though his weapon doesn't do quite as much damage as expected.
Edmond's spell vaporizes the second elemental, a great cloud of steam dispersing through the room. While his pet moves closer to Serelina and fires its crossbow at the elemental attacking Ian, but misses.
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Hidden from view, Soliel smiled appreciatively as the second elemental dissipated in a cloud of steam. She gauged the distance to the remaining foe fighting Ian, realizing she had no way to get there quickly or attack from advantage. She therefore sheathed one her short swords and continued examining the elemental for vulnerabilities.
With no cantrips for dealing with threats, Serelina takes no action except to take a step back away from the remaining elemental.
The first elemental continues attacking Ian, scoring a single hit.
A third elemental bursts out of the now frothing water next to Edmond wrapping a watery tentacle around him.
Three revolting creatures that look like a horned frogs with a wide, toothy mouths come flying across the water from the darkness. Two stop far out over the pool as magic swirls around them, chains of darkness fly from them towards Edmond and Ian.
Hold monster
"Lesser ceustodaemons. They are resistant to all but good or silver weapons, and are immune to quite a large number of magical effects intended to kill or incapacitate them. They can also breath a cone of frost. They prefer to fight in total darkness, and can dispel magic."
As the fight goes on, Serelina continues to speak, detailing strengths and weaknesses. "Resistant to most forms of energy attacks, able to both hold and slow opponents with magic, and use dimension door at will. They are a personification of death by suicide, and summoning such creatures requires" Serelina actually goes a bit paler, "usually requires tricking or manipulating another into killing themselves."
"But the water elementals... they have no particular affinity for elementals, there must be more going on here than we can presently see."
Ian keeps swinging and thrusting with his greatsword, trying to hack the elemental into watery chunks.
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Soliel stifled a curse as the daemons came into view. She deeply disliked foes getting the drop on her, and Serelina seemed to be insinuating that the presence of elementals meant more surprises awaited. Seeing Ian and Edmond handling the elementals, she turned her attention to the newcomers.
With a flick of her hand she pulled forth a packet of sticky, silvery paste that she applied to the hand crossbow bolt she had out. The tiefling then took aim at one daemon....
You may create bright light that partially assimilates a glowing creature, allowing them to momentarily shed their physical form. A creature under this effect can choose to move through solid objects as long as there are no factors that block normal sight (such as concealment from darkness or fog). This allows them to pass through transparent barriers like glass or through impossibly small gaps (such as a keyhole).
Diffuse Body
Your Flicker talent becomes more nuanced and refined. Rather than allowing someone to simply turn into a single body of light, you give them the ability to split themselves into multiple reflections. When a creature under the effects of your Flicker takes a move action, they may choose to move in two separate directions and end their move in two different locations. When they take their next action or the next time they are attacked or targeted at one of these locations, whichever is sooner, they must decide which of these positions they are actually in.
Edmond glows like a candle and splits into two bodies of light that move in opposite directions to escape the creature's grasp.
Snake-man takes a step back to avoid AoOs and turns black as it flings a bolt of negative energy at the nearer of the two distant foes.
Ian hits once, delivering a heavy blow to the elemental.
Edmond escapes the grapple as his body turns to pure light for a moment, then launches a bolt of darkness at one of the daemons.
Soliel prepares her weapon.
Serelina mutters, "Resistant to fire." before casting a magic missile targeting the same one as Edmond.
The elemental near Ian continues to attack.
With Edmond escaped the other one moves towards the snake-man and attack.
The daemons fly in closer, one activating another spell like ability as foggy tendrils wrap around Ian, Serelina, and the snake.
Another flies near Ian and opens its mouth spewing forth a breath of icy cold wind.
It also catches the elemental in the icy breath, destroying the creature.
The last points a clawed hand at Edmond, the light around Edmond winking out.
Ian is pushed back, nearly stumbling, by the constant pummeling of the elemental.
"If they wanted to wear us down, it's working," he shouts over the fray.
He's still breaking free of the foggy tendrils when the blast of cold wind hits him, this time knocking him to one knee.
"I can't keep this up!"
As Ian closes on the last elemental it takes a swipe at him.
He slams his blade into it, shearing off, at least temporarily, a portion of the creature, which then reforms though the damage is done.
Soliel catches the daemon closest to her by surprise, and it begins dripping black ichor into the now churning waters.
The group is invigorated as they feel their muscles energized and their reflexes quickened.
Snake man makes an attack.
Snake man strikes the remaining water elemental.
When Ian is up, he'll attack the water elemental.
Despite natural resistance the daemon has to fire, the creature falters, then plunges into the slimy water.
The elemental lashes out at Ian again.
And the remaining daemons move in closer, the first releasing another blast of magic.
The second lets loose a breath of freezing cold air.
The blast of cold destroys the water elemental.
The water surges upwards, rising to wash across the walkway covering feet, and continuing to rise.
Ian goes after the nearest demon, stepping into the deep.
Ian steps into the smelly rising waters, hacking away at the closest daemon, tearing chunks of flesh off of it, though his weapon does not pierce as easily as he expects.
Ian does the same thing again, then 5' steps back onto solid ground (for however much longer that lasts...)
Edmond backs up to the highest ground he can find. He then shoots a searing lance of flame at the farthest of the demons.
Snake man makes an attack.
With Edmond and Soliel adding their attacks to Ian's, the second daemon drops lifeless into the pool.
Serelina delays her actions.
The remaining daemon stays out of melee range, but breathes another cone of frost at Ian and those nearby.
The water rises another 2', reaching above Ian's knees.
"I'm in bad shape. Is that a way out?" Ian shouts down towards Edmond and Soliel.
He looks back the way they came, clearly thinking of making a run for it, but then he sees Serelina still standing there in the water and chooses to stay by her side. "They ain't bringing my old ass back again, so if this is it, just wanted to say it's been an actual honor working with you Ms. Bellafini. I mean that. You're a scary b+&#&."
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Soliel let loose her loaded crossbow bolt at the last remaining daemon, before scowling and cursing something particularly vile in Infernal. She darted north towards the rest of the group. Yes, it is a way out! We came from there. Flee you fools! Unless you wish to whisper niceties to each other as ice blocks in the sewer for all eternity! Her comments were directed clearly at Ian and Serelina, and just as she said them she realized how she had addressed a Master-To-Be. Chagrined, she added, Ma'am, I apologize, but you and he need to leave. Now. Let the halfling and I finish this thing off.
Edmond, seeing the water rise to his chest level, calls snake man to him.
"Take me out of them! May the fire warm your bones!"
Edmond will channel positive energy to heal the living.
Edmonds wave of healing heals Serelina back to full strength, and puts Ian in good condition again.
Soliel scores a hit on the remaining daemon, leaving it with a bleeding wound.
The water continues to rise, reaching Ian' waist, and another threat emerges from the darkness to the west. A large frog like creature with a razor sharp maw and milky white eyes.
"Ah, the true threat" Master Bellafini proclaims. "A hydrodaemon. The normally live in the River Styx, so are immune to toxins and resistant to most forms of energy, and are resistant to magical attacks in general. Able to control water, summon water elementals... and use acid based magical attacks at will."
As if to prove a point magical energy forms around the creature as it is emerging from the water, and an arrow of deadly acid flies toward Edmond.
"There will be a limit to its range to control the water level though if we wish to make a retreat. For now though..." Serelina begins an incantation, and a arc of flame reaches out towards the new threat.
"Not the most effective way of damaging it, but its resistant to everything not cold iron or silver."
Ian starts heading towards the exit, as fast as he can wade through waist-deep water that is.
Snake man carries Edmond along in full retreat.