Cynara nods in satisfaction. "Well done indeed. Such things do not belong here." She murmurs a quiet cantrip and examines the debris for lingering magical auras.
You don't think that whoever was the patron of the shrine will have such an easy access to this plane now.
"Breaking the shrine seems to have dissipated the majority of the profane magic on it, but there are still traces left on the fragments. Best to be careful with those, Nakoda."
Zephram nods, "Logically, then, that weakens our foes. Some of them, at least, should have a harder time drawing upon the abyssal power."
He looks at Nakoda for a moment, then says, "I would suggest we move on, however, before any of them come to investigate -- better to strike on the offensive than be pinned down here -- since those same drow would be aware of the stone's destruction."
"About nine minutes total so maybe seven more. Might as well make the best of it and move on." Zane says moving forward with a smile.
Noting the unfamiliar eleven woman looking toward the doorway as she lounges in the pool, Sylvianna strides into the room as the others finish up, warily observing the woman's actions.
Unlike the other rooms of this place, this large chamber has been restored to its former beauty.
Polished white marble gleams from the walls, carved in the likeness of dancing and frolicking elves.
Along one wall is a gigantic sparkling pool of crystal clear water, behind which stands a gateway made of the purest alabaster, carefully shaped to look like a ring of leaves.
In the center of the pool, a comely elven maiden reclines on a tremendous floating leaf.
She looked with idle curiosity at you all as you enter.
"Hello. Who might you be?" She asked in a lovely contralto voice in elvish.
Cynara replies in the same language, "Cynara Eruthiel, Shin'Rakorath. And you?"
Zephram pauses, A light-skinned elf.... Most unexpected... especially as she does not appear to be a prisoner. Then again, the drow are rather treacherous... and, what's more, people seeking power often align themselves with unpleasant sorts.
He cocks his head at the question, not responding, watching the speaker, trying to determine the truth of the situation before offering anything.
She cocked her head in puzzlement at Cynara's question.
"My name..." She said, turning the word over in her mind.
"It has been so long. I... am Ix. I am Ixilano, I think.
"I am a spirit of the elder days, bound here by Drow magics to answer their questions."
She cocked her head.
"Have you come here to kill them?" She asked curiously.
"There's no dust...or any other sings of degradation in this room. Preservation magic perhaps?" Sylvianna whispers.
"Would that free you?" she asks Ixilano.
His eyes narrowing at Sylvianna's observation Zane whispers an arcane word, his vision shifting into the magical spectrum as he studies the beautiful woman and the oddly pristine room.
Zephram frowns, "Bound against your will? That is most unpleasant..." He pauses, his thoughts racing, "...We could benefit greatly from learning what the drow have been asking her... Maybe enough to determine their plan."
The oracle turns her unsettlingly blank gaze to the ancient spirit, a slight frown creasing her forehead. "What questions have you answered for them?"
"Have you come here to kill them?"
"Would that free you?"
Ix nodded slowly. "Yesss. I believe it would."
Your arcane sight reveals that the gateway made of alabaster ring of leaves is almost certainly an actual planar Gate, though weaker than you would expect.
Of the chamber itself, you can detect extensive illusionary magics.
Of the elf woman herself, you can detect nothing.
"What questions have you answered for them?"
Ix blinked.
"They asked extensive questions about the city and forest nation, its people, its military and arcane forces... They were very disappointed that my knowledge was millenia old and useless to them." She replied, thinking aloud.
"That is good to know. They drew your essence from another plane didn't they?" Zane asks.
She cocked her head again, as if puzzled.
"Another plane? Yesss... The Great Beyond. It is true."
She looked sharply at each of you.
"But you are not. Who are you? Where do you come from?"
"And your clothing looks so strange to me. Will you step forward that I may see what new fashions there are in this new era?" She asked with a hungry look.
Cynara approaches the elf woman right to the edge of the pool.
Nakoda approaches the elf woman right to the edge of the pool.
Sylvianna approaches the elf woman right to the edge of the pool.
Zane starts to step forward (is free to act or not).
Zephram starts to step forward (is free to act or not).
You percieve magical auras gently settling over you and your companions; a fairly strong Enchantment/Charm of some kind. And subtle too. You don't even detect the source.
Zephram stops himself, then calls out, "Using magic to compel us is not how it's done in this world. "
"Compulsion? No, they were just curious. Understandable." She replied as she reached out with a hand to caress Cynara, her other hand to caress Nakoda, and her other hand to caress Sylvianna.
Her easy caress is Hypnotic in pattern.
Zephram calls out to his companions, "Twice, now, she has tried to bespell us. This is no innocent trapped creature."
Cynara is so enthralled by the attention that she loses count of how many hands the elf-maid has.
Frowning as he properly realizes the ongoing threat Zane takse a step back, calling forth magic of his own to give the 'eleven woman' something else to be concerned about.
When the woman lights up in burning acid, she gave an inhuman shriek and both she and her leaf plunged down underwater as if yanked by a giant.
If mesmerized, you snap out of it.
You see just under the water four long tentacles writhe from this three-eyed fish-like creature's flanks as it beats at the acid flames, and its green body glistens with thick, clear slime!
You all see Cynara's forearm where she had been caressed has turned a slimy grey, and it's spreading up her arm!
Cynara staggers back, trying to recognize what's happening to her, and calls on divine power to bolster the party.
Zephram looks at the strange creature in the water, and thinks back, trying to figure out what is tugging at his mind that might be familiar about this..
You recognize the thing; its an Aboleth! A strange aberration of alien intelligence.
Cynara's skin is turning to Aboleth slime. Her flesh now requires continuous moistening or it will dry out and kill her over time. A Cure Disease or better is now required to transform it back to normal.
Snapping out of the entrancement, Sylvianna swiftly fires a pair of arrows into the water.
Noting the damage the creature's touch does to Cynara, Zane utters a spell that intermittently shifts his presence between planes.
That means that Cynara's skin is turning to Aboleth slime. Her flesh now requires continuous moistening or it will dry out and kill her over time. A Cure Disease or better is now required to transform it back to normal.
Zephram whistles as his memories click, "Zohls! It's an aboleth! That's the opposite of good... "
"Yes! Try to avoid it touching you! We'll need to get Cynara cured as soon as possible." Zane responds.
Round 1____________________
Zane Argentus_______
Frowning as he properly realizes the ongoing threat Zane takes a step back, calling forth magic of his own to give the 'elven woman' something else to be concerned about.
Cynara_______
Cynara staggers back, trying to recognize what's happening to her, and calls on divine power to bolster the party.
Nakoda_______
Zephram Taranis______
Zephram looks at the strange creature in the water, and thinks back, trying to figure out what is tugging at his mind that might be familiar about this..
Zephram whistles as his memories click, "Zohls! It's an aboleth! That's the opposite of good... "
Sylvianna_______
Snapping out of the entrancement, Sylvianna swiftly fires a pair of arrows.
ENEMIES_______________________
When the woman lights up in burning acid, she gave an inhuman shriek and both she and her leaf plunged down underwater as if yanked by a giant.
You see just under the water four long tentacles writhe from this three-eyed fish-like creature's flanks as it beats at the acid flames out, and its green body glistens with thick, clear slime!
===========
You all see Cynara's forearm where she had been caressed has turned a slimy grey, and it's spreading up her arm!
Round 2__________________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
Zane Argentus_______
Noting the damage the creature's touch does to Cynara, Zane utters a spell that intermittently shifts his presence between planes.
Cast Blink
"Yes! Try to avoid it touching you! We'll need to get Cynara cured as soon as possible." Zane responds.
Sylvianna sends two more shots into the water at the creature.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Cynara invokes a restorative magic she hasn't yet had to use, and only recently learned. But in her inexperience she's unable to stop the strange power transforming her flesh.
Zephram readies his bow and nocks an arrow, waiting for parry of the aboleth to break the surface.