Only Tebati's fresh wave of healing kept her on her feet as, while withdrawing from the melee, she was struck in the back by the Azlant-thing.
Round 3-
Ordered Initiative-
Kieran- 22
Ansha- 19
N'bellocq- 18
Azlant- 18
Jakob- 8
Qhude- 4
Tebati- 3
Active Effects-
Mirror Image Ansha
Spiritual Weapon Tebati
Rage Qhude
Map-
Notes-
Action-
Kieran narrows his eyes and clenches his jaw at the sight of Tebati being struck again and again, yet somehow manages to maintain his composure, even allowing himself a breath of relief as the priestess uses her divine power to heal herself of some of the damage. Focusing on his opponent and reasoning that the sooner he disposes of him, or rather it, the sooner he can come to Tebati's aid, the half-elven swordsman brings his curved blade to bear once again.
Heavily battered himself, N'bellocq is grateful for his cousin's ministrations and steps up to protect her from further harm after Kieran takes down the first of the silent warriors. "Behind me Cousin, better me than you."
He turns his attention to the other bloodless warrior.
"Good job," she tells Kieran with a nod, as he destroys the construct. Turning on her heel and backpedaling to the west, she incants a short phrase and stretches forth her gloved hand. A small ball of greenish liquid hisses and roils as it forms in the air, then hurtles toward the construct. Almost tripping over the construct's rubbled remains, her aim is off and the small orb of acid goes flying high over the remaining construct's head.
:
With a final feint, Kieran wrong-footed his much slower opponent and hacked the construct apart at the middle with a final sweep of his blade, the momentum of the stumbling Azlant-thing leading it to add weight to the blow. As it crumbled, N'bellocq sent an arrow into the remaining Azlant, who seemed to note its comrade's destruction with its glazed purple eyes but seemed unconcerned.
With Tebati out of its reach, the Azlant focused its attention on Qhude, stepping in to land a stinging blow upon the warrior's biceps as he instinctively raised it to block the arm from reaching his chest.
Qhude continued to give himself room to swing his Guisarme by stepping back, and he and Jakob dealt punishment to the attacker together. Jakob pinned the construct to the floor with a thrust into the Azlant's foot, setting up Qhude to near-hack its head off, the blade of the pole-arm narrowly missing the thickest part of its neck.
Tebati notes Kieran's dismembering of the other construct with relief. With three of her companions between herself and the remaining Azlant-thing, she takes an opportunity to breathe, registering the pain associated with the blows she has taken only now that she is momentarily out of combat. Concerned that this strange chamber might still have more unpleasant surprises to unleash upon them, she turns her attention to the arcane flashes of the images on the wall....
Jakob takes a double-handed swing at the strange creature. Not so much to hurt it but to force it to divide attention.
A particular scene caught Tebati's eyes as images raced around behind the five statues; Azlant's marching into a newly built structure, clearly this one, accompanied by Mwangi. Although Tebati was not certain, she believed the Mwangi were servants, although she saw no shackles or chains.
Round 4-
Ordered Initiative-
Kieran- 22
Ansha- 19
N'bellocq- 18
Azlant- 18
Jakob (action declared)- 8
Qhude- 4
Tebati- 3
Active Effects-
Mirror Image Ansha
Spiritual Weapon Tebati
Rage Qhude
Notes-
Action-
Ansha's gaze is also drawn to the images, particularly now that the fight seems well in hand. Not terribly interested in the long-ago trials of the Mwangi under Azlanti oppression, she nonetheless figures that there may be important clues to unlocking the pyramid's power playing out over its walls.
N'bellocq knowing he is having some kind of impact continues his barrage.
With his opponent finally down, Kieran turns his attention on the other remaining foe as he quickly closes the distances and strikes.
Kieran was quicker than N'bellocq, his arrows piercing the construct as it fell to the swordman's blade, the arc of the sword almost a blur as it severed the construct at the shoulder.
By the time Ansha turned her attention to the images, they were almost finished displaying. She caught a scene of bloody battle inside corridors and grand, ornate rooms; Azlant and Mwangi fighting side by side against other Azlant and Mwangi; some kind of civil war, judging from the similar appearance of both of the sides. Both magic and weapons appear to have been used in the fighting.
The final scene of the illusion displaying across the walls was that of several dozen Azlant and Mwangi marching out of the ancient structure, many of them bearing war wounds. In stark contrast to the exodus from the pyramid, a single Azlant was displayed being put into what could only be described as some kind of petrification effect, inside one of the rooms of the structure. Frozen like a statue for unknown reasons while his fellows left the structure, his was the last image to be displayed before the walls; and the room's persistent humming- fell silent.
"I think this is a prison of some sort...." Ansha observes quietly.
"The one who caused the conflict?" Tebati guesses, glancing at Ansha. "Though why they would imprison and not simply kill...." She crosses to Kieran and smiles, "Two for you, I think?" then grimaces with pain. "I now have some slight idea how you and Qhude must have felt when the great lizard struck you with its tail. Cousin, how fare you?" she asks N'bellocq with concern. Her conjured trident winks out of existence, unnoticed.
Kieran smiles at Tebati's remark but his expression turns to one of concern as soon as the priestess shows that she is hurt. "Are you alright? Let me see," the half-elf says as he checks on the woman's bruises, despite the fact that he does not possess the skill to do something about them.
After making sure that Tebati is well enough, he turns his eyes towards the now fallen constructs. "They seemed rather focused on you and N'bellocq, leaving themselves more or less open to my blade and Qhude's weapon. A coincidence?"
When you get back into action, make me a Will save please.[/ooc]
Despite the fact that she and not he is the healer, the shamaness seems rather to enjoy Kieran's attention to her contusions.
"They seemed rather focused on you and N'bellocq, leaving themselves more or less open to my blade and Qhude's weapon. A coincidence?"
"Perhaps," she responds with a frown. "Perhaps they merely attack the nearest target. What were they, Ansha, could you tell? One thing is certain: they were unscarred when they dropped into the room, and at least some of the soldiers must have landed a blow before they perished. Either they can heal themselves or this pyramid has more than just the two of them at its disposal...." She glances up warily at the ceiling where the trap doors opened. "Kieran, can you see any way to open the panels from this side? Or to keep them from opening?"
Ansha shakes her head, eyes still on the walls to see if the illusion repeats. "No, although I'm guessing a golem or construct of some kind. My guess is that there's more in this pyramid--or maybe there's magic here that incapacitated those who came before...but not us."
N'bellocq stretches with a wince and a hand immediately goes to his ribs. With a wry smile, "I am still standing...thanks to your blessing Cousin. That they attacked the two of us does, and does not, seem strange. But I doubt a Mwangi bloodless man will drop down next to give the two of us hugs and chocolate."
"The room center may yet still hold its own danger, and the 'hug the wall' tactic gets rewarded with peril dropped from the roof."
"Is that a bit of wishful thinking on your part, N'bellocq? I seem to recall your being rather fond of chocolates," Kieran quips as he moves a little bit, trying to get a better look at the panels above them. "Maybe if I could get a little closer to them...," his voice trails off.
"The room center may yet still hold its own danger, and the 'hug the wall' tactic gets rewarded with peril dropped from the roof."
"Excellent point. Can we match implement to injury?"
Looking at the nearby dead Jakob compares the fresher of the wounds with the hands feet etc of the two violent puppets. The noble looks at the corpses, both the dead and the simply still. "Violent puppets.. I love irony...'
Inspecting the two assailants closely, the group was able to determine quite easily that they were not made from stone; but from wax. Looking up at the ceiling, it was hard to distinguish the outlines of the panels but Kieran just about managed it, having seen them open.
Looking a little more loosely at the pile of corpses in the centre of the room, Tebati noticed that at least two more seemed to be these same Azlant figures, mixed in with the Sargavan dead.
"Wax?" She turns and looks over her shoulder at the contraption with the inexplicably-burning candle. "You said that device summons things? Perhaps we should stay away from it."
Ansha shrugs. "Or maybe we should destroy it? Assuming that it summons wax-golems...."
Your struck with a rather terrible thirst, but when you glance at your waterskin it looks unappealing. However, the water in the pool beneath the statue looks clear and wonderfully refreshing. You decide to take a drink from it once the group eventually explores that far into the room.
Grimacing and dismissively grunting "We will die of thirst before we take a step if we but stand and question ourselves." and with that he moves away from the wall and the to the outskirts of the pile of bodies. If he makes it there without assault from further waxen statues he will separate some of the Sargavan bodies to see if they also all fell to thumping fists.
Ansha shrugs. "Or maybe we should destroy it? Assuming that it summons wax-golems...."
"Can we?" Tebati asks pointedly. "Without summoning more of them?" She flinches a little as Qhude strides further into the room and steps closer to N'bellocq.
Inspecting the bodies, Qhude finds that all of the corpses he inspects fell to the same kind of wounds.
Emboldened by his ability to approach the corpse pile and not be eviscerated, Qhude extends the courage of his probing feet to those of the largest statue. Walking with steady but cocksure steps, he reaches the staircase and ascends to near the well of water peering at the chest plaque to see if he can ken the script.
Ansha shrugs at Tebati. "We won't know unless we try. What's the worst that could happen?" she asks, smirking sardonically.
"Next time, put yourself in the way of their fists and find out," she challenges. "Qhude!" she hisses after the Bas'o. "What are you doing?"
Pausing to turn to Tebati, Qhude shrugs and points to the inert waxen figures "They guard this room, not traps... we will learn nothing standing still." before turning to continue towards the statue.
The multiple images laugh quietly. "I'll pass."
She looks to the Bas'o. "Actually, I'd say it's both. Did you not hear me say that that there are more magical auras by the pools and stairs?"
Grunting before spitting to one side and not slowing Qhude replies "Feh, watch then... you should be safe where you cower."
Qhude reached the central statue with nothing untoward happening to him, his eyes fixed upon the basin of water. Being completely unable to read the plaque on the statue, he bent down and drank some of the water.
The compulsion to drink has ended... but strangely, you feel yourself infused and mentally invigorated upon drinking the water. You weren't quite sure exactly what the change was, until you looked upon the ancient Azlant writing beneath the main statue, reading it fluently in your head.
Arioch, Venerable Founder of our Order
Straightening Qhude wipes the dregs of the fluid from his chin before looking upon the plaque a second time. "Arioch, Venerable Founder of our Order..." before taking a step back and looking upon the statues again from one end to another. He looks upon the staff of gold and gems in particular - seeing if it was a part of or apart from the statue...
Perception:
"What did you say Qhude? What order?"
Jakob wanders towards the stairwell. Any sign of use? Dusty/clean? Metal/Stone? Worn/sharp edges?
As the others start to mill around the room at random to no ill effect, Tebati glances at Ansha and shrugs.
Ansha watches with alarm as Qhude continues toward the pool. "Qhude! Stop!" she warns.
...But it was too late. "Calistria's honeyed tongue, what are you doing? Are you still you? Do you feel funny yet? What were you thi--Ario-what?"
Likewise, as other party members start wandering around the room, Ansha sighs at Tebati and facepalms.
Pointing at the plaque on the statue "It is written... though I know not what it means." before Ansha's words reach his ears, his brow furrows slightly in confusion before he answers and shrugs "I was thirsty..."
As Qhude began to make his way across the room, N'bellocq lightly says, "You go ahead. I can fight them from here."
He keeps his eyes focused on the statues, but hears the conversation behind him, and without turning his head let's the casters know, "I can shoot out the candle..perhaps...if you do not want to approach it."
Having watched Qhude cross the room successfully, N'bellocq starts to make his way across careful to follow the path Qhude took.
The staff of gold and gems is very large and heavy, but could likely be carried by a man as strong as Qhude. It is not part of the statue and looks as though it could be pried from it. Even to an untrained eye, its clear such a magnificently adorned piece of decoration is likely worth at least several thousand gold pieces.
Qhude now also had a clear line of sight to the stairwell- noticing that the stairs leading down were covered by a floor to ceiling, large group of webs.
"I suppose someone has to do it.."
Jakob begins the grim task of laying out the dead. Checking for identifying papers or marks and recording how many people died here.
Also noting anything useful or valuable to be returned or replaced should we need it.
Remaining where he stands Qhude appears to be seriously mulling over taking the sceptre. Pointing to the stairwell "The way down is blocked by web... Kieran" calling to the half-elf and beckoning "...can you see reason why I shouldn't take the rod of gold?"
Assuming that nothing continues to happen as the men cross the room, Tebati leaves the question of the conjuring candle to Ansha and follows Jakob into the midst of the dead soldiers. She looks for those of Mwangi extraction and speaks a blessing over each in lieu of funerary rites. Most, if not all, are undoubtedly Zenj and not of her own blood, but she hopes that the ancestral spirits of their tribes will deign to listen to a Bonuwat priestess in the absence of one of their own shamans.
When Qhude suggests removing the rod, she frowns but reasons that the Grand Custodian's ultimate intent is to plunder the site for its riches anyway. "If this 'Arioch' is the man frozen in the heart of the pyramid," she cautions, pausing to stare up for a moment at the oversized Azlanti face, "he would no doubt look with displeasure on anyone who robbed his statue. Although perhaps, in life, all feared or honored him enough that they saw no need to ward his likeness against theft."
Still regarding the Azlanti statue and awaiting Kieran, Qhude muses "What is this place though? Where not-men attack those that enter without word and light plays upon the wall when one cannot watch it."
"I am not sure I even see a reason why you should," Kieran remarks. "Other than, you know, the fact that it is probably worth quite a fortune." Approaching closer and closer to the statue, he looks at it with interest. "Well, the rod is not part of it, so it could perhaps act as some sort of trigger or counterweight whose removal might open a door or trigger a trap? Or both?"
Moving as close as he can short of touching it, he examines it, trying to figure out whether the manipulation of the staff would cause the arm to move or if such a thing had been done before. "Or it might very well be just a decoration..."
"A little patience, Qhude?" It is not so much a question as it is a plea, for the rogue knows that the Bas'o is not one to idle about.
"Yeah, why don't you try that, N'bellocq? Probably better to try this at a distance, anyway," Ansha says, putting a bit more distance between herself and the contraption as she moves closer to the center of the room herself.