Malfeshnekor - Round 1 - concluded
Selena cannot tell what the wolf-like creature is, but she does know it seems to be casting spells. AS she watches, the creature seems to phase in and out of focus rapidly and randomly. Trying to buff her allies, Selena casts a spell that quickens their movements.
Feeling the mighty bite of the monstrous creature, Tunder withdraws to the other side of the room to lick his wounds, and let the magically enlarged Barek into the fight.
Seldon doesn't know what the creature is, but from its monstrous form and its location, he ties it to Lamashtu the Mother of Monsters. As the name is uttered the great beast laughs deeply and darkly. Magically quickened, the elf archer is able to loose three shots. All three have to be shot around Barek at the wolf-like beast. Because of the difficult angle, the first and third shots miss -- the second hitting. But even as it hits, the arrow seems to do much less damage than the force indicated.
After seeing the beast savage Tunder, Barek steps up toe to toe with it, landing a pair of punches. Again the magical nature of the foe seems to absorb a good chunk of damage, but Barek certainly got the attention of the beast.
Mirela moves into the room, circling the fire pit, trying to get at a flank of the great beast, but she moves cautiously, not wanting to provoke an attack until she is ready.
End of Round 1
Malfeshnekor - Round 2
21 Malfeshnekor (32 hp dmg)
20 Selena
17 Tunder
15 Seldon
11 Barek
6 Mirela
***Haste in effect***
The large wolf-like creature turns on Barek who hit him hard, and tries to return the favor, attacking with two claws and a bite. The bite looks to close down on the throat of the large fighter, but the random phasing makes the teeth pass harmlessly through the man. Barek is not so lucky with the claws, as both catch him, rending his skin deeply. "My mother will like you, large one. She will bring out your inner beast and turn you loose on those you love!" whispers the creature in a voice filled with hatred.
Bite Misses
Tunder uses a Scroll of Lead Blades on his trusty waraxe before moving in to harrass the creature.
Barek watch out! Seldon he needs your help. I will do what I can to take down his defenses.
Selena casts dispel magic hoping to get rid of the miss chance first.
Dispel magic
Barek grits his teeth as the claws rake through his flesh. He yells out and swings his left arm at the wolf-creature again in a terrifying haymaker. Then he follows up with a jab to the nose.
Seldon slips behind Barek, bolstering him with a blast of healing light, hoping to keep him swimming for one more round.
Malfeshnekor - Round 2 - continued
Seeing the blinking defense of the great beast, Selena attempts to dispel the effect. Concentrating hard, she is able to break the spell, and the wolf-like foe lines into focus.
Still away from the melee, Tunder takes out a scroll and casts a spell on his weapon which increases the damage amount on each hit.
Stepping behind the enlarged Barek, and giving him a gentle touch of positive energy, Seldon is able to heal back some of the damage the big fighter has taken.
With a little more vitality, Barek lays into the barghest without fear of him blinking away. One punch misses as the creature swerves wildly, but the other jab lands squarely. Still the damage isn't as severe as expected.
Using her Acrobatics skill, Mirela drops her heavy backpack, and tries to squeeze past the great creature, trying to get behind him for a flank. Her leaping move fails, however, and the barghest turns his mighty maw in her direction. His jaws snap down on her leg, tearing deeply into the flesh for 13 hp dmg.
End of Round 1
Malfeshnekor - Round 3
21 Malfeshnekor (41 hp dmg)
20 Selena
17 Tunder
15 Seldon
11 Barek
6 Mirela
***Haste in effect***
Using his teeth and both claws, the demon-creature rips into Barek once again, trying to down the largest and strongest foe before concentrating on the others. Barek is able to deflect the bite, but both claws strike him again, re-opening a big wound for 27 hp dmg.
Having reduced some of the defenses of the creature Selena focuses on aiding Barek more. Reaching and touching him she bestows upon him some extra agility.
Standard to cast cat's grace on Barek.
Coupled with his enlarged size, constitution, and reflexes, Barek takes the fight to the beast with a dizzying array of punches.
Noticing his magic arrow had struck true, Seldon looses three of his elf-bane arrows at the creature. "This creature is powerful beyond imagining. Rima ten'ta! Fall back and regroup."
EDIT:
Tunder chops and cleaves at their foe.
Rumilda (Waraxe): 2H, haste, power attack
Rumilda (Waraxe): 2H, haste, power attack
Malfeshnekor - Round 3 - concluded
Trying to prop up Barek, Selena casts another spell on the enlarged fighter that gives him feline dexterity.
Tunder takes two hasty swings at the target, the first missing badly. The second scores a hit for small amount of damage.
Malfeshnekor - Round 3 - concluded
Seldon fires a trio of magical arrows and all score hits against the evil outsider, the damage starting to stack up now.
Barek stands tall despite taking a lot of damage, and uncorks a series of blows, two of which strike the raging snarling beast.
Finally, Mirela, now trying to get in a flanking steps farther behind the big fellow and stabs at it with her rapier. Her hastened condition allows two attacks, and both land against the enraged beast.
Heaving a great sigh and moan, the foul creature falls on its side to the floor and breathes its last crying "Mother, save me."
End of Combat
"Crawl back to the abyss." Seldon says coolly, stepping over the creature and into the room. Once somebody ensures that it stays dead, Seldon will triumphantly call on Desna's power to heal the party. "Desna's grace! I almost thought we weren't going to make it. I am sorry for losing heart."
"I should learn to trust in that left hook of yours, Barek. It's seen me through more scrapes than I'd care to admit." he says, stitching the Varisian's wounds back with healing hands.
Selena wipes at a spot of blood that landed on her from afar. That was really the only telltale sign that they had been in a life and death struggle at all as far as she was concerned. Again I thank you Barek and Tunder. It seems almost unfair that you put your health and life on the line while I enjoy the safety you provide. Coming up and placing a hand on each one's shoulder. Really, I do appreciate the sacrifices you make each and everytime. Excellent job as well to everyone for ending that threat. I wonder why he was locked behind the door though, or was he guarding something in here.
Once people are feeling healed and there is not threat Selena will search the area with detect magic.
Perception if needed
"If this thing's been in here as long as the we think, it was definitely otherworldly. Probably a long forgotten pet or something crazy like that." Tunder pats the hand Selena places on his shoulder and nods. He helps her search.
+2 v goblin, +4 v giant, +2 underground
Barek kicks the monster's body in the mouth and spits on it. "Foul thing! Put up a hell of a fight though." He gingerly touches the claw marks raked in his skin and shudders as Seldon's healing closes them.
The big fighter breathes heavily and leans against the wall. "Take a look around. I'm just going to rest for a moment."
Take all the time you need Barek. If it helps I have a potion of cure light wounds for you. It is not the strongest of healing magics but it is what I have. It is the least I can do for you.
Barek shakes his head. "Seldon healed me. I just need to catch my breath." The fighter still looks fresh though he's breathing hard.
Very well. If you insist I will keep it for a later time. N the meantime though you earned the rest.. Selena goes about finishing her magical a nd mundane sweep of the area.
Sticking the point of her rapier into the creatures backside to ensure its passing, Mirela whistles in an astonished manner "Heaven help us, I don't ever want to run across something like that again." Sheathing her blade, Mirela mumbles to herself "What a nightmare."
Glancing over at Barek with a sly grin, Mirela winks "Good work champ." Keeping her eyes on Barek, the young varisian leans her head in Selena's direction "So Selena, how long does this spell last... Barek looks, uh, a touch ogre-like at the moment."
Glad to see that this demon thing snapped Miri out of her funk Selena nods her head side to side trying to give an accurate answer. It should last for about another 2 minutes or so. We spent some time in the other rooms so it will wear off shortly. The extra grace that he has though will last for another 4 and a half minutes.
Looking around the room, Selena is able to detect that the slow-burning candles in the room are magical. In all there are 60 eternal candles, which burn as if with a continual flame but with no heat. Each casts shadowy light in a 5'radius. They are worth 25 gp each.
Further search fails to turn up anything new.
After they've had some time to investigate the room, Tunder is ready to get the group moving again. He leads them back to the room with the cascading coins (he's rather anxious to count just how much he was able to scoop into his pack) and to the double doors on the south side of it. "You want the honors or should I do it again?"
Seldon gathers up the candles, smiling at the thought of them illuminating Sandpoints temple to further spite the demon queen.
"I am ready."
Upon recognizing the candles Selena lets the others know what they are. Interesting spin on the everburning torch. While individually they do not give off that much light the effect is still permanent. The4 softer light may do well to those that are sensitice to bright light and could make studying a bit easier as well. I am sure there are quite a few scholars, merchants, or even authors who may want a few of those for quiet reflective work.
When at last everything was completed and the only option was to head to the last doorway Selena nods for Tunder or Miri to proceed. I don't know what is behind the skeletal motif but we should be wary for any undead.
Barek nods at Seldon gathering up the candles, having caught his breath a bit. "Not much room in here. I wonder what you do for thousands of years if you're trapped in here. I would go bonkers."
With a shrug, Mirela adds "I suppose if you're immortal, a thousand years might not be that long depending how long you've been in existence; time is a relative thing after all." Glancing about the room at some wide eyed stares, Mirela blushes a little "A touch too philosophical maybe? Anyway, what's next?"
"Speaking for the long lived, I would indeed go bonkers." Seldon grins.
"Ok, let's go see what the rest of this floor has." Barek leads the group out to explore the last remaining door.
Leaving the ancient prison of Malfeshnekor behind the party travels back through the gold pillar and to the doors that are deocrated with the carvings of two skeletons holding a skull between them.
Cracking open the wrought doors, Barek and Tunder push inside. They see that four pillars support the domed ceiling of this room. Several dark alcoves containing standing sarcophagi grace the walls, and a statue of stern man wielding a glaive and holding a book stands in the southern part of the chamber.
Selena keeps her eyes peeled going through the skeletal doors waiting for signs of foes. The statue before her was impressive but she had no clue as to who it was if anyone at all.
Perception and detect magic
Realizing that she never answered Miri as she was concentrating on the door, selena answer warily. Who knows what capabilities that creqture had. It is possible it could leave to other planes only while here it was bound to that chamber. What it's mental state is, or was, is not something I could even guess at.
Seldon will cast a light spell to illuminate the room.
"Be careful, there could be more other planar creatures around here." he moves into the room cautiously.
+2 underground
+2 v goblin, +4 v giant, +2 underground
Barek moves in after Tunder. He examines the first sarcophagus he comes across, trying to reach any inscription on it.
Upon entering the room, Mirela shakes her head impatiently upon viewing the sarcophagi. Before moving past Tunder quietly, Mirela mutters quietly with a sigh "Desna save us... knowing our luck, those things will open and we'll be face-to-face with the walking dead."
The words are no sooner out of the mouth of Mirela, when smoky, shadowy figures begin filtering out of three of the sarcophagi in the room. THe forms are vaguely humanoid in appearance and writhe with unholy life. The temperature in the room drops noticeably as the ghastly figures appear.
Crypt - Round 1
21 Selena
16 Seldon
15 Tunder
14 Blue Shadow
13 Mirela
9 Barek
9 White Shadow
7 Red Shadow
know religion
Shadows! beware their touch as it will sap your strength. Use magic if you have it.
Realizing the limited options some may have agains the shadows Selean targets the group of shadows to the south with a spell as she then pulls out a scroll of magic weapon and takes a small step backwards besides Tunder..
fireball reflex DC 17 for half
Hoping to seal the fates of the Shadows before they can menace the party, Seldon punctuates Selena's spell with a blast of positive energy.
Tunder quickly considers the small magics he has at his disposal and does not think any of it will help. Just in case, though, he casts Ironbeard on himself and moves to stand in front of Selena and Mirela.
Crypt - Round 1 - continued
Calling forth the arcane energies she has been fortunate to master, Selena conjures forth a fireball that flies across the ancient crypt and explodes along the southern wall. Red Shadow is able to duck behind its stone sarcophagi and escapes most of the blow, while its White counterpart takes nearly all the blast, though being incorporeal keeps it from being devastating.
Seldon, horrified by the chilling shadows, calls forth the power of Desna to dispel the undead shades. The force is too much for the white shadow -- with a piercing shriek it disperses into a cloud. The other two are affected by the positive energy, but not much.
Trying to protect himself, Tunder casts a spell that turns his beard into of stiff iron.
Blue Shadow reaches out with its cold undead penumbral fingers to Barek, but the cagey fighter is able to avoid a nasty attack.
Glancing down the hall, Mirela decides to move to the alcove to the southeast. Laying in wait, she hopes to catch the other shade unaware of her presence.
Muttering quietly to herself as she looks over her shoulder at the tomb, Mirela adds "What I won't do to get the jump on someone... or something."
Barek realizes this is far different from the shadow boxing he's used to and he probably can't even hurt the things. He concentrates on avoiding their touch instead.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Crypt - Round 1 - concluded
Mirela slips behind one of the (hopefully) empty sarcophagi, waiting for a chance to pounce.
Barek, meanwhile, takes a full defensive stance, understanding that his fists will be of little use against these wispy shadows.
Floating out from its crpyt, Red Shadow moves towards the nearest living thing it sees, in this case Tunder. Reaching out a chilly finger for the dwarf, the shadow brushes against his skin, and Tunder feels the drain as a tiny bit of his strength is pulled away by the icy fingers.
End of Round 1
Crypt - Round 2
21 Selena
16 Seldon
15 Tunder
14 Blue Shadow
13 Mirela
9 Barek
7 Red Shadow (11hp dmg)