"Same here. Oh, and I can flail around too!" Naught grins back.
Zelda opens the secret door and steps into a small, 5' by 10' dungeon room. The room appears to be a jail cell. There is an iron door on the right wall. The chanting is now much louder - it is clearly coming from the other side of the iron door.
You notice drops of blood welling up along the walls.
A large gray ooze emerges from the waters of the cavern between Aliseya and Naught and slams Naught with an acid laden pseudo pod . The ooze locks Naught in a grapple. You feel the acid begin eating away at your armor, clothes and skin.
You see a bloody "N" being written on the dungeon wall in blood.
You hear an insidious voice in your head. "I've been expecting you. Welcome to the Nevermore. Welcome to your doom. You should never have touched my spell book."
;1=A, 2=G, 3=N, 4=Z
Round: 1, Initiative: 14
Weapon Equipped = Morning Star
Conditions = None
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 1/4
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +5 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Acid Splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
First (14): Color Spray, Shield,
A look of panic crosses Govannons face, and he whirls around looking for… something. He doesn’t find it however and grips his weapon a little tighter as he peers into the chamber beyond the ooze.
He moves up (if needed) and strikes the slimy creature, hoping to free Naught from its grasp by killing it quickly… or trying to.
The witchy woman carefully steps back from the slimy ooze. She peers at the gray ooze with wicked curiosity.
As the creature takes hold of Naught, she begins to mutter in the dark tongue. The palm of her wand glows violet. Ali gets a touch in on Naught where the ooze has not wrapped itself yet... the storyteller feels some momentary relief from the acidic burning.
Naught slams the ooze with her axe and splatters a portion of it on the wall. Aliseya heals Naught and then steps out of the way so that Zelda may move in. Zelda attacks and dissects a portion of the ooze.
Zelda continues to attack and again slashes the ooze. Govannon enchants his morning star and then bashes the ooze hard.
The ooze's pseudopod tightens around Naught and she feels the acid destroying her armor and melting her skin .
Suddenly, two dire rats poof into existence in the dungeon cell.
Round: 2, Initiative: 14
Weapon Equipped = Morning Star
Conditions = None
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 1/4
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +5 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Acid Splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
First (14): Color Spray, Shield,
vs DC 20 or damage to morning star (hard:5 HP: 5)
He focuses his attacks on the blob, hoping the rats can be handled by others for now, though he worries…
vs DC 20 or damage to morning star (hard:5 HP: 5)
On the cavern wall you see a bloody "Z" spell out in blood.
On the cavern wall you see a bloody "A" spell out in blood next to the N.
On the cavern wall you see a bloody "G" spell out in blood.
The dark witch points with a bony index finger at the dire rats. Speaking in the dark tongue once more causes her allies (except Naught) to cringe yet again.
But they cringe all the more as four horrifying and body-less hands once more make their appearance!
The hands rapidly crawl into the cavern: along the walls, along the ceiling, along the floor. Fingers unnaturally titter along as the legs of a spider would, creepily slipping past the legs of one or two of Ali's friends.
Yet pass her friends they do, for they head straight for the rats this time. They attempt to batter and claw at them, seeking to murder by ripping flesh from bone.
Round two will save. And my high rolls continue! :)
Zelda breaks away from the gray ooze and moves back into the jail cell where she skewers one of the two rats. Govannon again batters the ooze with his morning star. The acid chews at the metal of his weapon, but the enchanted morning star remains intact.
The ooze continues to squeeze Naught . The acid from the ooze consumes Naught's leather armor - rendering it useless.
Naught retaliates and smashes the gray to ooze bits - destroying the creature.
The remaining rat lunges at Zelda, but misses her.
Aliseya speaks in dark cant and points her finger at the dungeon cell - a moment later four severed undead hands come skittering out of the darkness towards the rat.
Suddenly the iron jail cell door slams open and a black robed man with his face painted black and white to resemble a skull steps through. "This ends tonight, worms!"
Aliseya is alarmed to see a bloody "A" being written on the wall next to her .
Round: 3, Initiative: 14
Weapon Equipped = None
Conditions = -4 wisdom damage, Shield (1/20r) directed at black robed skull
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 1/4
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +5 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Acid Splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
First (14): Color Spray,
Freaking out more than a little, ”I think there’s a haunt in here with us too! Anybody still have a siphon - though I don’t know where to direct it. My name is being written in blood on the walls!!”
He cannot get to the new guest, so he casts Shield (standard) and puts away his morning star (move), preparing to draw his preferred weapon just as soon as he can.
”Zelda, fall back, you cannot face it alone!” he takes a 5’ step back to make room for the woman.
"You're damn right it does!" Naughy growls out before she moves over to attack the man.
Seeing the letter 'A' written in blood, dark Ali barely responds and actually laughs instead... a rather sinister laugh. She retorts the new arrival in the dreamtime speech, turning the stomachs of most with dread.
She mutters more dark speech, and touches Naught on the shoulder. The violet glow of her palm effervescently dissipates into the axewoman's body, tingling with healing power. She then speaks some more dark words to Naught.
She then points to the black-robed man, uttering yet more foul words of the dark. The disembodied hands then spider walk up to the skull-faced newcomer, attempting to climb onto, punch, or strangle him.
To Naught, "Slay him for me, my Pet." Seeing holes in the storyteller's armor and spotting parts falling to the ground, "Soon, preferably... so we make it to the clothes shop before they close." Naught's a bit too focused on life and death at the moment, but... is there a hint of delight in Ali's witchy voice?
Concerning the hands, she commands them to assault the man in black.
Zelda slays the remaining rat and then steps back. Govannon hesitates, as he fights an irrational fear to not use his arcane abilities, before finally casting a shield spell. He then begins switching his weapon. Naught moves up to the cultist and wallops him with her axe. The man is slammed against the dungeon wall, but he remains on this feet. Naught sees a room full of cultists lining up behind the man she is attacking.
The four severed hands race past Zelda and Naught and attack the wounded cultist. The hands pull the cultist down screaming as they rend through his face and throat.
The cultist just outside of the cell door intones a spell and points at Naught.
A ghostly mage steps through the wall into the cavern passage behind Aliseya. "So, we finally meet in person. I've greatly enjoyed tormenting you, but now I grow bored. Now that Vesorrianna has been suppressed, I have a town to slaughter."
A blast of energy leaps from his outstretched fingers and sears Aliseya .
; DC14
Round: 4, Initiative: 14
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Conditions = -6 wisdom damage, Shield (2/20r) directed at new foe, Arcane Scimitar (+1) (1/10r)
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 0/4
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +5 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Acid Splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
First (14): Color Spray,
Govannon panics more than a little as he feels his magics waver. He considers taking out the spellbook to study the problem, but there are too many enemies before them at present and decides rather to forgo his spells for now… though he is deeply troubled.
He watches as Naught charges in on the cultists and hopes she’ll do well on that front. He wonders how he’ll join in, when he hears the challenge behind Alliseya. ”There’s someone behind us too!” he shouts toward Naught and Zelda. He draws his scimitar as he moves and enchants it, using the last of his arcane power.*
Assuming he can get past Ailiseya and into the tunnel, he attacks the new mage.
(arcane)
(arcane)
(arcane)
(arcane)
Snarling, Naught lashes out with both hammer and her free hand at the cultist.
We tried to effect the last ghost by destroying his item. Maybe destroying that spell book will effect this one?"
"Destroy a spell book?!" Govannon shouts, not believing what he's hearing. Spellbooks are expensive, they're worth a lot of money! he thinks to himself.
Not wanting to seem overly greedy however he keeps that thought to himself. He considers the question.
Maybe I can threaten him with it... See how he reacts he decides.
He turns back to the mage, "Look here you, Zelda's right. If you don't give up right now, we're going to destroy your spellbook!"
"Don't threaten to do it, DO IT!"
Zelda, the only way into the main room is through the cell door - you moved your character through a wall (not that easy to tell from the map, I know). Since you have the highest initiative, you can jump in front of Naught and attack the next cultist in line, but it will prevent Naught from attacking.
Zelda steps in and attacks the next cultists but is unable to penetrate the man's chain armor. Govannon attacks the ghost and his enchanted blade rips through the spirit's essence. Naught pauses and waits for an opening to attack while she is healed by Aliseya. The severed hands spread into the gaggle of waiting cultists and continue their murderous attacks - panic begins to spread among the cultist ranks.
The ghost hisses upon the mention of the spell book. "Fool, you know not what you possess."
He then steps into the wall and disappears.
The cultist facing Zelda attacks her with a cruel mace, but she easily dodges the clumsy swing. Two of the waiting cultist cast spells on Zelda
Suddenly you hear the squeal of bending iron - someone is attempting to open the portcullis!
Feeling her life force suddenly shaken by the impact of the creepy ghost's magical jolt, Ali screams in pain...
Turning to face her enemy, a look of sheer wrath overcomes her... but the ghostly mage disappears into the wall.
Frustrated, Ali speaks another dark prayer. She touches herself with the now familiar violet effervescence, relieving the wracking pain.
She speaks some more in the nightmarish speech, seemingly barking at the undead hands.
She then barks at her new minions, "Don't just sit there! Rip enemies' flesh from bone!"
Round: 5, Initiative: 14
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Conditions = -6 wisdom damage, Shield (3/20r) directed at new foe, Arcane Scimitar (+1) (2/10r)
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 0/4
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +5 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Acid Splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
First (14): Color Spray,
Faced without a threat, Govannon takes the opportunity to remove the spell book from his pack (move, provokes) and he drops it to the floor (free). He then attacks it with his scimitar, hoping it will result in injury to the ghostly wall-stepping mage.
(arcane)
(arcane)
Zelda moves aside and clears room for Naught to step forward and cut down the next cultist in the room. Govannon throws down the spellbook and then begins shredding it with his scimitar. You hear howls of pain echoing through the stone as the mage steps back through the wall and blasts Govannon with a bolt of energy . "I'm going to show you why they call me the Splatterman. Prepare to die, Magus."
Aliseya heals herself as her severed hands continue their assault.
Naught hears the sounds of battle erupt in the north side of the room.
; Naught
; Hand
; Hand - dead
; Hand
; Hand - dead
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Round: 6, Initiative: 14
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Conditions = -8 wisdom damage, Shield (5/20r) directed at mage, Arcane Scimitar (+1) (3/10r)
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 0/4
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +5 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Acid Splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
First (14): Color Spray,
Govannon is riddled with missiles, and would have very nearly dropped, if it weren’t for his Shield spell (link) which protects him from the magical onslaught. He laughs at the mage who very nearly just killed him, and again attacks the book with as much fervor as he can manage!
(arcane)
(arcane)
Sadly, his laugh is cut short, as he cannot even manage to hit an inanimate object at his feet...
Though she cannot understand the miserable utterings of her friends besides Naught, Ali makes the connection between book and ghost mage. A look of glee comes over her wicked face as she faces the ghostly mage and snaps her fingers...
...the spell book suddenly catches fire and begins to burn.
Zelda tumbles past Naught into the room where she now faces a cultist in front of her and one to her flank. She notes that there is a 10' square pool of murky water in the middle of the room. To her alarm, Kendra hangs from chains over the center of the pool - she appears to be in some sort of fugue state. Zelda also notes a cultist at the end of the room wearing a wide brimmed hat - he is casting a spell. Undaunted, Zelda attacks the cultist in front of her and wounds the man.
Govannon laughes as the ghost's powerfull spell is harmlessly absorbed by his shield spell. But, as the ghost rushes him, he is unable to hit the spellbook with his scimitar in his haste.
Naught reaches through the door and attacks the cultist on Zelda's flank and smashes his face in with her axe.
Aliseya sparks a flash of fire over the spellbook and singes several pages. The remaining hands are finally destroyed by the cultists after delivering numerous wounds.
The Splatterman howls in frustration and charges Govannon with wicked claws extended, but his attack is deflected by the Magus's shield spell.
Two cultists attack Zelda but are unable to hit the nimble rogue.
The cultist at the end of the room with the wide brimmed spell sends a black ray lancing at Zelda .
The sounds of battle on the north side of the room intensify.
; Zelda
; Zelda
; Hand
; Hand
;
Round: 8, Initiative: 14
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Conditions = -10 wisdom damage, Shield (6/20r) directed at mage, Arcane Scimitar (+1) (4/10r)
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 0/4
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +5 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Acid Splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
First (14): Color Spray,
His willpower spent, Govannon collapses to the floor, gibbering quietly to no one in particular…
Naughy takes a step to try to get into a flank with Zelda.
Zelda attacks a cultist's flank but is unable to hit the man. She is surprised to see the armored half-orc from the chapel move into the room and decapitate a cultist next to Zelda. Behind the half orc Zelda sees Grey, Ysmerelda and Sariana. Govanon attempts to make a heroic last stand against the Splatterman, but collapses from the haunt's debilitating wisdom drain. Naught, using axe and claw, cuts down another cultist.
The Splatter man smiles as Govannon falls. "I'm not done with you Magus ..."
He then takes a 5' step and unleashes a powerful force bolt at Aliseya - blasting her against the wall
The two remaining cultist converge on Naught - one hits her with a glancing blow
The cultist with the wide brimmed hat disappears.
Naught snarls and attacks back.
Round: 9, Initiative: 14
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Conditions = -10 wisdom damage, Shield (7/20r) directed at mage, Arcane Scimitar (+1) (5/10r)
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +3 Damage: Str +3
ranged: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Arcane Pool (su/swift): 0/4
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +5 (+4 defensively))
Zero (13): Acid Splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
First (14): Color Spray,
Govannon rests comfortably on the cold stone floor as his mind wanders the realms of insanity. He curls up against the cold, partly fetal, and tries to improve a non existent pillow with his hands.
The witchy woman smacks against the wall, shrieking with agonizing pain along the way. Sliding slowly to the ground, her face relaxes, and her beautiful eyes glisten sadly as all goes dark...