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Responding to Bash's suggestion, she says
Maybe we should move them past the secret door? If we get into a battle down here, I don't want them to be collateral damage.
But if no one else wants to, she doesn't press it. Plus, she didn't know where the goblin and the other assassin were. If they were waiting back there invisibly, or they hadn't gotten them all, maybe it wasn't safe back there either.
Trying to make sure the girl is calm, and not tempted to turn them in to save her parents, Zamanda asks her name.
After getting it, she addresses her directly and says
Please don't worry about your parents getting in trouble over this. We're going to do our best to take down anyone who could punish them. However, even if we can't, we'll find you *and* them a way out of town until this is over, okay? They will not suffer in your stead. My parents are out of town with many others, organizing. We can get them to safety.
Zamanda will heal her
and then says
I'm leaving you in charge of these other women. Sisterhood should be about helping each other be strong and facing things together, not being broken and indoctrinated. You help them stay strong, and we'll come back for all of you after we take care of the other dangers, okay?
If she agrees, she leaves her with blankets, water, and food, and as they carefully progress and unlock more cells, Zamanda sends the girls back to the first one, who now has a little more strength to help them.
Malen spoke to the women in the cells. "Get as close as you can, my friends. I'll try to wash away the hurts of this cruel place."
Hoping that would increase the hardiness of the women, even if it didn't control their hunger or thirst, he shook his head. "So these women are forcibly recruited and converted. And by this Zenobia, of all people. What a terrible place our city has become."
Turning to his allies he says, "Perhaps we should head to where this Mother of Thorns conducts whatever rites she is in charge of? Certainly stopping her will put a hold on whatever dark process they have going on here."
Kalem pragmatically stood in the bubble of healing. Afterwords he nodded. ”Good idea. This slavery should be stopped. If nothing else ending her will do some good this day.”
Bashiel attempts to speak reassuringly to the other women, mentioning that their oppressors will soon be no more and that their freedom will be assured. Once he's done he turns to the others.
"Zamanda, you're likely right. They're in danger anywhere in here, but better they're somewhere where they're not expected to be. I haven't seen any sign of any invisible foes back in the area of that crypt. If they hide among the sarcophagi, I expect no one will go to look for them there. Its certainly not along the path you'd expect a pursuer to search."
The news of Zenobia being the involved in indoctrinating the women is disturbing. The priestess had suggested that maybe she was being controlled, or otherwise was taking actions against her will, but to serve as a trainer suggested a more willing participation.
"Corah Lathenmire. That is my name" she nods accepting the ideas of the group "A big strong goblin just hurried up through the cells and past north a few minutes just before you arrived. I do not know if you refer to him"
Zamanda goes forward and in the process of 3 minutes she quietly opens many of the cells and rescues 12 young girls very much like Corah, whom Malen heals up. Corah tries to organize all of them, who are eager to escape and direct themselves wherever the group tells them it is safe.
Bashiel's fly and true seeing, and Ilsa's mirror image come to an end.
Zamanda leads the little band of women back down the stairs, and shows them where they can hide , leaving them with blankets, water, and food.
We'll be back to get you out the rest of the way. Just need to make sure it is safe first.
_____
Coming back up the stairs from hiding the women, Zamanda walks down the E10 hallway, peering around the corner.
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The thought of the goblin warning everyone ahead of them was hardly reassuring, but Ilsa agrees they should get the women to safety first.
"Should we send them somewhere safe once they get out, so we can check on them later? Perhaps we should decide on a place they can go, then eventually make their way out of the city," she suggests.
They can't leave without us... remember there is that beast in the sewer. You could control it for us, but it will eat them. Also the illusion bridge... unfortunately, I think they'll just have to hide downstairs and wait for us.
While the group takes a decision on whether to attack the eastern or the western corridor, Zamanda moves forward stealthy and finds there is a set of doors around the corner.
Once the group of women has been ensconced within the crypts in the lower level, Bashiel follows Zamanda as she leads further into the Maidens' base. He makes sure to keep enough distance so as not to spoil her stealth.
Zamanda casts detect magic and examines the door, also listening at it in case she can hear anything beyond.
Other than a faint scratching Zamanda hears nothing at the other side of the western corridor doors.
The group decides to attack on the eastern corridor first. There are two different sets of doors. Which ones the group will open first?
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Zamanda motions everyone forward, and when everyone is close (around the corner from the door), she backs up and casts Open.
Knowing that Zamanda had never let them down before, Kalem was more than happy to follow her lead in exploring the depths of the queen’s depravity.
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When the room magically opens, you are able see what seems an execution chamber where Abadar and Pharasman clerics executed convicted criminals in the presence of the arbitrers.
Softly glowing ivory tiles adorn the walls, floor, and ceiling of this room. Four wooden benches sit in the center of the room, facing an upraised area on which an executioner’s block sits. To the north, an intimidating-looking greataxe hangs on display on a sturdy weapon rack. An iron door in the west wall, just north of the main double-door entrance, bears a narrow window, currently closed via a sliding metal slat.
In between the few banks you spot a emaciated woman with thorny vines and growing tiny red flowers that flow like a train behind her. This must be the Mother of Thorns.
"You do not look like recruits to be ascended" the woman says with a raspy voice then casts a spell on Zamanda but it automatically fails.
charm person (failed because Zamanda is not humanoid)
Unsure of the nature of this Mother of Thorns, Malen was concerned when the woman/creature cast a spell on Zamanda, but relaxed as the aasimar woman shrugged it off with no effect. Unsure of what other surprises the enemy might have in store, but certain that he wanted his companions to have no part in what dark sorceries she might be able to call upon, Malen called upon Pharasma's graces to create a powerful ward around himself and his allies to repel the more potent necromantic arts that could be called upon.
Finding himself far down the hallway, all Kalem could reasonably do was hurry towards the sounds of conflict which began to reach him.
With any attempt at stealth lost immediately as the door opens, Bashiel is left catching up with the rest of the group. When he catches sight of the strangely thorn-draped woman, he grimaces. "Literal thorns." is all he gets out as he braces to engage.
Zamanda throws a fireball above the thorny woman , hoping she will burn well since she looks part plant.
Kalem *delayed until after Zamanda threw her fireball* and then flew into the room.
It was not an attack that would be either decapitating or bisecting, but it still promised to cause quite a bit of pain if it connected.
Like Kalem, Bashiel waits until the path is clear into the room and the burst of fire has reduced to wisps. On Kalem's heels Bashiel moves in, clicking the heels of his boots of speed as he goes to gain some much-needed additional swiftness. As he arrives next to the Mother of Thorns he delivers a quick stab of his rapier.
Zamanda's fireball explodes going through the Mother of Thorns spell resistance, but she evades completely the flames.
Ilsa instigates Cinnabar to kill her and displaces his outline with a spell on top of her images.
Kalem enters a rage, a force shield protecting him, and wades between the banks to reach the creature. As the tieling approaches, the creature uses a sudden strike to extend her thorns and get an attack of opportunity on him trying to trip him.
The thorns strike true at his feet and send him prone to the floor hitting a bank in the process. Assuming Kalem stands up immediately he finds out the creature does not reach for him again.
Bashiel speeds on to strike at the Mother, but she demonstrates great agility dodging the warrior.
Malen creates a Ward Against Death and readies for battle.
Cinnabar launches to battle with an unfeeling rictus in her face as commanded by her new master.
Her blade goes through the thorns and stabs deep into the creature's belly, although it deals less damage than expected.
Spitting blood the creature moves her thorns around bothered "Come and serve to greatness. Kneel and be converted into truly loyal servants. Resisting is useless"
Now that you are closer, you feel her scary gaze.
She starts focusing in a spell, but feels too pressed and the spell is lost.
The thorns around her try to grasp you and hold you entangled!
This creature is a special type of pakalchi sahkil with rogue levels.
Pushing through the unnatural fear, Kalem once again attempted to attack the enemy. The flames on his scythe ignited with even greater flames as he swung it again, and again, and again...
Zamanda feels the gaze, but instead of meeting it she averts her eyes.
Zamanda casts Haste on all of her friends, and then starts to sing , inspiring her friends to have courage and be strong.
Whenever you are using bardic performance to create a spell-like or supernatural effect, allies within 30 feet of you deal an extra 1d6 points of sonic damage with successful weapon attacks. This damage stacks with other energy damage a weapon might deal. Projectile weapons bestow this extra damage on their ammunition, but the extra damage is dealt only if the projectile hits a target within 30 feet of you.
Keeping clear of the vines, Bashiel whips the tip of his rapier up. "You'll break no more victims. In Osiris' name, may you be granted a more peaceful reincarnation." He delivers a rapid flurry of strikes, each one aimed for a different extremity.
Malen was able to overcome the creature's dominating gaze, shrugging off the fear that threatened to overcome him. Seeing his allies swarming the Mother of Thorns, the priest decided to husband his resources, keeping an eye on things in the hallway while he maintained his divine field around himself and his friends.
Kalem tries to wade through the banks and the Mother of Thorns attempts to throw him to the floor once more.
But this time the stout tiefling is ready and jumps over cutting a bunch of the thorns with his scythe although dealing less damage than expected.
Zamanda starts to sing and hastens everyone but Ilsa, who she cannot see from her position.
Bashiel marks the Mother and delivers a series of attacks, cutting thrice, removing many of the thorns that try to entangle him and stabbing the creature near its heart. The blasts of sound does not seem to affect her but nevertheless the goodness in his rapier easily pierces the Mother of Thorns defenses killing her with his last stab hasted by Zamanda!
wand of cure critical wounds (15 charges)
wand of enervation (15)
ring of protection +2
Following orders Cinnabar yet stabs the creature once more making sure it is dead "The job is done Master"
Other than the execution platform and the door with a window, there is nothing else of interest in this chamber.
Zamanda, surprised but thankful that the fight is over, stops singing and suggests
Okay... well, grab whatever she has on her and let's move on while we're still fast.
She then moves on to hallway E13, waits for the rest of the party to get to the corner , and then casts Open (from where she is) on the double door near her.
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Kalem took several deep breaths as he let the rage leave him. "This is...taxing." He wiped sweat off of his brow. "All of this off and on is wearing me down." He gave the corpse a kick to the head as a way of showing his displeasure. Then he reached down and plucked the ring off of her finger. "Payment for the inconvenience."
Sweeping his rapier back into its sheath, Bashiel gives a brief prayer to Osiris for this strange and malevolent creature's soul, before joining the rest of the party in hurrying forward. Just before catching up, he spends a few seconds to cast a protective spell. He draws his rapier once more after he's done.
"They've likely been warned by that goblin, but hopefully we'll catch them while they're still planning their response."
Malen was continually amazed at the efficiency of his companions in dispatching the group's enemies. He was definitely glad to be on this side of things. Once the creature had been searched, Malen picked up the clerical wand, leaving the other behind for someone who could use it. With that, he was ready to go.
After picking up stuff, Ilsa is the last one to reach the next door, because she is the only one not hasted .
With everyone on position, Zamanda cast her spell and the double doors open side to side!
The western wall of this tiled hallway is a row of bars that cages a smaller room within, accessible by a heavy iron gate. Within the smaller room sits a desk, a filing cabinet, and a table. A window in the bars allows for a place to perhaps pass objects from the hall to the cage.
A group of Gray Maidens with their shields up and their swords ready are awaiting you at the other side of the door. Two of them are armed with bows behind caged bars pointing to the entrance.
Mogmora, the barghest goblin, is next to a Gray Maiden that dresses commander braid, an elf of scarred face missing an ear and holding a sword in flames.
It seems they were all expecting your arrival.
Before they can shout or do anything else, Ilsa is the fastest to react.
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Ilsa cannot see all of the enemies from where she stands, but she can see enough to know the Gray Maidens are ready for them.
Fixing her gaze on one she can see, her deadly stare alone makes the maiden's mind more susceptible to her spells.
Willing the maiden to babble in a bizarre, incontrollable manner, her mind penetrates the Maiden's, even though she can't see her face.
To Cinnabar, she says "Kill anything that comes through this door."
Cinnabar readies her saber for anyone coming through the door as commanded by Ilsa.
The fearsome woman fixates her stare at one of the Maidens by the end of the room. The creature starts to babble incoherently, unable to do much.
All the maidens turn to look at the babbling one, fascinated, they lose their focus on the fighting answer they were preparing.
Only Mogmora focuses himself "What you doing?! Fight! Tisharue, you are in charge of defending the prison! Make them fight!" the barghest casts a spell making the maiden's muscles stronger.
Zamanda casts Gravity Bow. Then she starts singing.
Seeing the Maidens inside the new room consorting with the goblin creature was enough to harden Malen's resolve against the Queen's defenders. If they would willingly work with a creature like that they were a lost cause, most likely.
Unwilling to let the goblin-thing slip away once again, the priest stepped to the front of the group, presenting his holy symbol as he intoned words he had seldom spoke. A column of pure, white fire sprang to being in the center of the room, immolating several of the dumbfounded enemies.
As the divine fire clears, Bashiel moves in to create a front line against the Grey Maidens. He invokes the enchantment on his rapier, causing the blade to glow a pale white.
Kalem turned the corner, his flaming scythe already swinging at the first maiden. He didn’t hesitate, even with the knowledge that many were brainwashed. In his mind everyone was already the hero of their own story, and a case could be made for sparing nearly any life. But at the end of the day he wasn’t willing to die for them. They were going to do everything they could to kill him. It was him or them, and he wasn’t going to be the one who died.
Zamanda makes the string of her bow heavily tense and renews the group's courage.
Seeing a good opportunity to go on it Malen makes the fury of the gods descend over the heads of the maidens in the shape of a heat column of divine fire!
The room becomes a hell of flames and screams of terror and pain as the skin burns. The power of the flames melts down the shield of the maiden with the orange banner and burns the strips of Tisharue's full plate, making some of the iron plates to fall out of place!
Seeing the roaring flames menace is enough to regain the focus for the other maidens and get out of the fascination "Queen save us the Hell is falling over us!"
Bashiel's sword goes pale white while he sets himself in an offensive position.
Kalem enters into a rage and goes in nearly amputating the green maiden's right arm with his scythe.
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Her previous spell having served its purpose, Ilsa nods grimly as her companions regain the advantage in this fight.
Turning her attention back to the duplicitous goblin-like creature, she seeks a point of entry into its mind.
Amid the chaos of the erupting battle, she wills the creature to feel remorse for trying to trick them.
Be it the flames, be it Ilsa's stare, Mogmora kneels and starts to plea "Pleeeeease, pardon me, pleeeeese! Mogmora was bad, very bad"
The elven woman Mogmora addressed as Tisharue raises her voice among the chaos "Stop whining! We are the Queen's maidens! There is no pain! Raise your weapons and fight!"
She advances in between the other warriors and brings her sword on Kalem.
But the tiefling blocks the sword with a swipe of his scythe.
Despite the maiden leader's words, the barghest continue whining in the floor, cowering terryfied.
Cinnabar negates to Ilsa "I have no bow or other ranged weapon. My credo are the sabers Master"
The maidens at the doors team up to attack Bashiel. As he is being attacked, Ilsa triggers Mesmeric Mirror and three images of himself appear around.
He dodges all the attacks, but one of the guards shatters an image. The green one steps back to leave room for the other maidens.
The maiden in orange shakes her hand letting her shield drop melted down to the floor. She and the other maiden at the cage side-step and shot their arrows at Bashiel too.
But all the arrows hit the wall or the ceiling.
The one in yellow start to spin her sword over her head in a dazzling display "In the name of Queen Ileosa you are all arrested!"
The voice remembers you to Mirya Izetti.
Her resolve is extremely captivating and everyone but Bashiel is shaken by it.
The woman with the white pennon moves forward to support her companions in the door taking the place left by green.
The purple maiden continues her incoherent babble. Although nauseated she manages to move forward to the door.
The black maiden moves back and opens the double doors "They are already here Kordaitra! We need help!"
Just barely resisting the arcane effects of the babbling, Kalem continued his assault. Striking out at everything for in reach, he sought to bring the wounded down first. His flaming scythe, as expected, left pain and misery in it’s wake.
Bashiel's movements turn sluggish as he becomes fascinated. He's not thinking clearly, but he still manages to mumble out "No... Kalem, not... hold, back... we can still... save them. And Mirya." But its too late as the bloodrager carves a path of blood through his victims.
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Shaken by the maiden's display most of the party goes fascinated.
Kalem though only sees blood. Ignoring the babble and finding no one injured, he just goes for the maiden in front of him. He is fast and cuts the weapon arm with his first scythe strike, the woman faints. Pushing away the unconscious maiden with his foot he steps over and cuts the next one in half, blood splashing all over the gathered maidens and himself. Following in unconcerned, he cuts the leg of the babbling one, then strikes at the head, his scythe breaking the helmet and the jaw. The babbling ceases and the maiden falls.
With the babbling gone, everyone is brought out of the fascination and recovers their senses.
As the blood filled the air, Kalem couldn’t help but smile. Something deep and dark stirred inside of him. A natural proclivity for violence drove his assault. Only Bashiel’s words caused a moment’s delay. Caused him to push the fainting woman away. The Paladin was still a grounding force of morality, but it was not enough to make him stop the assault. The battle was joined, and it would either end with the enemy on the ground or with their surrender. The choice was theirs.