Moira starts chanting an encouraging poem and steps into the room.
Well, the creature is obviously composed of bone, but it does not fit any description of undead as far as Selja knows. Suspicions are likely confirmed when Turante's spell hits but is ineffective.
. As Turante's spell proves ineffective, Selja rules out undead and realizes what she's seeing. "It's a Construct--a Necrophidius!"
Given what she knows, Selja smashes into the necrophidius with her morningstar.
Liamae casts a spell upon her bow, giving it some extra oomph.
The necrophidius snaps its jaws back at Selja.
Large serpentine fangs sink into Selja's flesh, and her entire body freezes in a deathlike rigor.
Adoration: As an immediate action, you can attempt to thwart a melee or ranged attack that targets you. This ability functions as sanctuary, but only against one individual attack. You must use the ability after the attack is declared but before the roll is made. The creature attacking you receives a Will save to negate this effect. If a creature has more than one attack, this ability only affects one of the attacks. You can use the ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Selja appears to lock up as poison courses through her body.
Moira's voice dramatically hops up a half octave before she suddenly stops singing... and casts Saving Finale on Selja!
. Just as it seems that she would succumb to the poison, Moira's powerful song compels her to further action and she fights off the paralysis!
She takes the opportunity to bash in the snake construct some more.
;
Selja is inspired by the tenor of Moira's vocal flourish, and overcomes the paralysis in the last second. Time enough to crush some more bone.
Túrante draws her sword and moves to engage the necrophidius.
Túrante strikes, but her blade proves ineffective against a bone construct.
Liamae moves in front of Fench, and fires her bow.
She is able to just chip away.
Now faced with two targets, the necrophidius lashes out.
Selja is twice bit, but continues to resist the paralytic effects.
Selja fights off the poison once more. "Damn it Fench, shake it off!". She tries to give as good as she's been getting.
;
But it doesn't land. She then steps back. "Come and get me!" she calls out, hoping to lure the construct forward.
Moira starts singing again, composing her song in advance to be short, sweet, and finished with a Saving Finale (if necessary).
Túrante seems increasingly concerned that she can't affect the enemy, but she has no other alternatives!
>.<
As Selja steps back, Liamae fires over her shoulder.
Her fletching fails and the arrow strikes the ceiling.
The necrophidius lashes out at Túrante left standing next to it.
Fanged jaws pierce armor both arcane and mundane with a sickening crunch. It should drop any lesser of a person, but our elven princess stands. Moira can see that Túrante begins to stiffen and ends her brief song of inspiration in a sudden crescendo, bringing Túrante back from the brink.
Túrante acts in Round 4, everyone else Round 5[/ooc]
"Fench, get back in the fight!" As Fenchurch stirs back to action, Selja decides to try and move around to the other side of the snake, although the roots slow her down.
Moira takes a deep breath and starts singing again...
At the sound of Moira's voice, Fenchurch finally snaps out of her daze. She rushes forward and swings away.
Her axe crushes through the necrophidius, yet it continues to sway and menace our heroes.
Liamae follows with another arrow.
Her arrow flies past Fenchurch and strikes the necrophidius in the skull. The final shot is enough to drop the skeletal construct.
Once the dust settles, it becomes apparent that along the northern wall of the chamber are five alcoves, each holding an upright, egg shaped sarcophagus, much like the ones found in the fungbold caverns. Above the alcoves is a message carved in Draconic:
The southern wall is adorned in a bas relief mural, and a low stone bench holding many jars and urns.
There is also a hall leading north, ending in yet another stone door.
Túrante huffs a bit and leans slightly, looking woozy.
Moira shuts off her vocal cords and takes a deep breath. "Well then. How are we feeling, everyone?"
"Sure we'll all be feelin' better in a bit," adds Selja, who channels some healing to get Turante and herself better.
.
"Anyone know how ta read this thing?" she asks, pointing to the Draconic text.
Liamae does. She adjusts her glasses and gives an accurate translation.
Selja nods at the description. "Well, can't say I appreciate these lizard things much. I'm fine lettin' the bones rest, but anythin' useful's better 'n our hands than in those coffins."
Selja searches for magic and looks around. If all seems safe, she begins checking inside the sarcophagi.
Selja notes that each of the sarcophagi emanate with a faint magical aura.
She is unable to discern anything seemingly 'off' otherwise.
y'know, other than the ominous warning written in stone.
the bas relief mural along the back wall depicts the construction of the stepped pyramidal temple, serpentfolk warrior priests drive human slaves with whips and flails, stone is quarried from nearby mountains and put into place by the forced labor. The whole process is overseen by a serpentfolk priest who wears an elaborate helm and wields a ceremonial dagger. Selja recognizes this as the white scaled serpentfolk from her dream.
.
After a moment of concentration, Selja reports back. "Some sorta necromancy on these things," says the half-orc. "A bit suspicious, maybe we wait before touchin' these things."
Selja backs away from the sarcophagi. "Come on, let's try ta keep goin'."
She'll continue "clockwise" on the map and inspect the door to the West for traps.
Túrante shrugs. "I don't really understand much of this. We might as well check the locked door there..."
"Right. Let's open a door."
Selja nods in agreement. She examines the door briefly before letting Turante take a shot at it.
For some talkin it over, it is decided that any warning of a curse is worth letting sleeping bones lie. Túrante takes her time fiddling with the door , and after waiting in the light of Moira’s hat, the door clicks open.
You find yourself back in the central stairwell, where you were first attacked by shadows. But all remains quiet. Picking up where you left off before exploring the level above, you pass the door to the west, which was found to be stuck shut by the crumbling walls around it.
Past the northwestern stairwell is a door leading east. Although the subterranean structure remains naturally cool, this door feels remarkably cold to the touch.
Moira says, "This door seems cool. Let's try it? Or should we have Fench bust open the stuck one?"
"That's odd. Like there's some magical cold behind it? How strange."
Selja touches the door also, curious to understand it. "Maybe save that one until the next day? I could pray for magic to protect one of us against cold."
"We could try out another door near the center stairs."
"We could try out another door near the center stairs."
Yes, that one too is cold to the touch. It is also locked. The door at J14 is unlocked.
Rejecting all of the cold rooms, Selja suggests the last option. . "Let's try the door here, I think we can go here without wakin' up another fireball."
She'll lead the way East, then north!
Selja leads the way out east from the central stairwell and recognizes the hallway to the mysterious screaming fireball room. However, instead of heading back to that place, she turns down the hallway leading north. Yet again, she is met with another door, but all seems safe. She opens that door and to her left is a short hallway leading west. To her right is a chamber; in the far corner is a raised dais with a stone lectern. Like in other parts of the temple, tree roots intrude through the crumbling masonry walls. However, before stepping into the room, she notices chaotic webs of gossamer silk fill the space.
"Spider webs everywhere," whispers Selja as they approach the next room. "Wish we could get that magic ball o' fire ta clear out this place. Maybe we burn it the old fashioned way?"
She gives everyone a moment to prepare, but then digs out a torch and lights it. She sees if she can set the webs on fire to clear them--and whatever might live in them.
Moira takes a deep breath...
Selja puts torch to web, and the flames quickly lick across the space of the chamber, burning web and filling the air with the sharp smell not unlike burning hair. As the flames moves towards the ceiling, an angry sharp hissing noise is heard, and then a large, black body falls from the ceiling, where it had been hidden amongst web and shadow. A shiny, black carapace stands on eight legs, eight black eyes reflect the light of fire from around the room, fanged mandibles drip with toxic venom. Most menacing indeed, but not as glaring a warning as the bright red hourglass shaped marking on the underside of this giant spider.
Having spent the last fight frozen in place, Fench jumps into action, moving as quickly as she can into the room, and swinging with her axe.
Green living steel slashes deep through the slick black carapace.
Liamae moves to just outside the corner of the chamber and takes a potshot with longbow.
Her arrow sinks partially into the giant spider.
Moira starts singing in a horrible, guttural growl--her favorite spider song!
"Boooris the Spiiider... Creepy crawly"
"Who's side are you on, Moira?" asks the half-orc as the music begins. That was the trouble with a funerary bard, drawn to "creepy" music--literally. Selja channels her orcish side as she tries to feel inspired to stab the giant spider!
;
At least, in the end, Boris gets squished. Nice taste in music, Moira!
Creepy crawly creepy crawly, Selja joins the action and lays down the hurt, her glaive chops into the giant spider with a spurt of yellowish ichor.
Boris the spider looks like she could be done for soon.
Túrante moves up to fumble a sure thing and open herself to a poisoned bite.