As Nowzai looks closer, he notes that the fiery spots are definitely bad ... they are holes in the black crust that open to liquid magma below.
"Epik, perhaps you can check the winding path through is safe." He casts resist fire on the paladin before he goes.
"Nowzai can you just teleport them out of there?
Epik nods at Nowzai and then carefully navigates the path to the nearest wounded.
"Nowzai can you just teleport them out of there?
Nowzai nods, watching Epik's progress closely. "Indeed, but it would expend a significant amount of arcane energy to do so. If we cannot guide them out, I will do so if needed."
Nowzai gathers his composure and converts arcane energy into growing a stone arch from the ground near his feet across the cooled lava and connecting with the lava mass near the second island. As he does so, buttresses form underneath the bridge supporting its impressive length and sweeping arch.
Once the spell settles and holds, the people on the island back away from it in awe ... and then it shudders.
Cracks can be seen on the island where it connects and the whole construct shakes and jiggles a bit before suddenly the section in contact with the lava island collapses and the end of the bridge sinks through what is apparently a thin crust of cooled lava into the fiery magma below.
The people on the island wail in despair and fear as they back away. However, as the arch descends into the magma, one of the men on the first island takes a desperate run at it and attempts to leap on the sinking bridge to make his way to safety
; success!
He leaps on to the sinking bridge and makes it clear with a nimbleness that is likely comprised mostly of luck.
His success emboldens a woman behind him and she attempts as well, although the bridge is sinking further as she does so.
She too, makes it to the edge of the lake, the bottoms of her dress catching in bits of fire that the first man attempts to help her with.
She slaps him.
You realize after a moment that they are married ...
Dalamus realizing there is little he can help with this problem, decides to start looking through the houses for people or anything that he may find useful....
Epik turns to Nowzai, "You're going to have to teleport them out."
Nowzai nods, "Plan B, then. If anyone can do something for the nearer group, please do it." Nowzai casts fly then moves over to the northern group.
Tlanextic, can you carry some of the others to safety?
Certainly
Nowzai communicates with Tlanextic and then casts a flying spell and heads off. Sam also casts fly and joins him on the southern island. Both of you land and feel the crust settle under your feet and crack ... you realize it is eggshell thin. The people realize it too and they appear petrified to move and staring at you both with a paralyzing panic.
All of that fear is amplified into abject terror as Tlanextic becomes visible flying to the southern island. The appearance of a 12 foot flying serpent is too much and one of the women on the southern faints, and as she hits the lava crust, it cracks and you can see the molten rock underneath begin to appear as the small piece she is on begins to rapidly sink.
Sam begins to communicate his intent with a disc, but the people aren't listening as they alternate staring at the serpent and screaming and staring at the unconscious woman and screaming.
You enter into the house nearby and it looks to belong to a family of moderate wealth. It appears rummaged through ... food on the table, pottery shattered on the floor near some bookshelves. Clothing thrown about in disarray and chairs toppled. A quick look around and you see nothing of obvious pilferable value
Ma'puande casts Telekinesis on herself attempts to pick up the fallen lady and lift her over the lava.
"Good thinking, Ma'puande!"
Nowzai awkwardly tries to calm the people a little. "Do not fear us, good citizens. The couatl is a benevolent being, and he is here to carry you to safety."
However they react, he flies to the northern group and dimensional steps them to safety.
Epik heals the people that Nowzai transports and any other victims that he can get to.
I honestly have no idea what to do other than trying to get them on the disk and lift anyone who doesn't fit
There were several people in the area watching a bit, some with morbid fascination, others because they have loved ones. Your display of magic has drawn a crown, however and they are starting to fill the street.
Dalamus will move around the onlookers telling them to encourage their friends to get on and get out of there
"Stop staring and tell your friends to get on the disk and anything else they can to get free!! Quickly, all of you yell to them!!
Nowzai leans and implores the panicked folks. They make no move toward him, but he at least gains their attention.
One of the men points at the charred body nearby "Rovar walked across that and fell through and burned horribly! Every time we move, the crust cracks ... we're going to fall through!"
Ma'puande levitates the fainted woman easily out of danger.
Sam reaches out to haul one of the panicked folks on to his disk, and they are having none of it. The closest man leaps back away from you and lands near someone else. Their combined weight cracks the crust and it collapses under them. The first man lands hard and punches straight through and immediately catches on fire, screaming in agony at first and then passing out from the pain. The other man steps away easily to another piece of the crust.
; fail, fire
; success
Epik looks to bandage the folks that have escaped but they are not physically injured.
After Ma'puande settles the first woman on safe ground, she shouts across at the crowd "Please stay calm, we can save you all if you'll let us. So who is next? It's like flying!"
She then attempts to grab another person and carry them across. She will attempt to carry any women or children first.
Intimidate -
Sam growls at the people nearest to him "Get on this disk or die like the others, at this point in time I don't care which it is, but choose now or I will leave you here to go and save other people who are not too stupid to live"
However they react, he flies to the northern group and dimensional steps them to safety.
Diplomacy:
"I will transport you to safety. Hold hands together with me." Nowzai sets down amidst the group and holds out his hands. "It seems strange to you, but this is the fastest, safest way."
The villagers around Dalamus shuffle their feet and fail to make eye contact with the fetchling, some looking away from the pending tragedy altogether. The assassin feels almost as if he is talking to himself.
Nowzai talks to the three folks on the northern island and makes a simple request of them.
()
Sam scares the closest man remaining on the lower island into action ... the man in the lava continues to burn. The furthest man while scared of Sam and Tlanextic now, won't cross the broken lava crust to get to the tiefling's disk.
Ma'puande catches the attention of one of the calmer folks and the woman tentatively raises her hand. The oracle easily lifts her and brings the woman out to join the others, relief flooding her face.
... 1
... 2
... 3
"Let them die then, there are plenty of others that would appreciate our help"
Dalamus throws his hands in the air in disgust and walks away.
Epik will assist Dalamus in convincing the villagers. "You must trust us - convince your friends to get on the disk!"
Ma'Puande again shouts across to the folks and says "Who's next? You see that 2 ladies have already braved the scary woman's magic, and lived! Who else can muster the courage to allow me to help you?
Sam flies over and attempts to grab the last one by him and manhandles him off the lave
To hit? -
Intimidate -
"Come with me if you want to live!
Sam in frustration flies over and grabs the remaining flailing villager and unceremoniously dumps him off with the others with a look of disgust. The villager falls to the ground and wails something about his mommy.
His disk floats slowly over the lava carrying the other villager on it.
Nowzai spends a couple rounds convincing two of the villagers to take his hand. Before he needs to convince the third, Ma'puande picks him up and pulls him ... screaming ... through the air.
The wizard steps through time and space and brings the last two over with him successfully. After calming the others down for a few seconds, the two islands then collapses and the entire area turns into a hot pit of liquid hot magma.
Ma'puande will attempt to treat the wounded.
Dalamus takes off, and looks around to see what is happening around the crater. He does not wait for the rest of the party.
Nowzai will tell the refugees where to go to join the evacuation. "Go, do not tarry. Things will only become more dangerous in the city. Get to safety while you still can!"
Epik will assist in treating the wounded and will then lead the way to the lakefront.
The party tends to the refugees quickly and then sets them on their path as they rush to follow Dalamus to the lake. Along the way they provide direction to others and continue to move folks in as orderly a manner as possible.
The party eventually gets to the Central Lake where most of the citizenry has already fled radially outward. A large pocket of dockworkers are appearing to try and secure some goods over on the eastern side of the lake.
The waters of have been steaming and bubbling periodically for some time, but the current uprising of frothy water is unusual.
Aside from that, the party is beginning to look to the dockworkers to encourage them to depart when suddenly, a massive pale gray shape surges out of the boiling water with a thunderous roar! The creature’s face is that of a deep-sea fish with protruding red eyes and a gaping fanged maw. Horns protrude from its brow and chin, and a spiny sail-like fin runs along its back. Its lower body resembles that of an octopus in that it has eight tentacles, but the creature also sports long, lobster-like legs. The front pair of these legs ends in massive talons. A pair of huge wings or flippers unfurls from the creature’s sides, lifting it out of the water and into the air. The creature’s flesh is blistered in places, obviously scalded by the boiling water, and it roars again as it approaches the shore and the large group of panicked dockworkers.
Epik interposes himself between the villagers and the creature. He then casts divine favor on himself.
Init -
Knowledge...dungeoneering?
<- has she ever heard of this thing
<- has she ever heard of this thing
<- has she ever heard of this thing
Ma'puande begins casting summon monster vi - Huge Elemental, Air
"Take my hand!" Nowzai calls out. As the others gather, he uses Alakast to recall and cast teleport, bringing the group to the dock on the far side.
Between Sam and Ma'puande you recognize the creature for what it is.
Sam has been in town long enough to know the legend of the Crater Lake Monster and this thing surpasses even the wildest descriptions of the myth. It is some sort of underwater creature, a mythological morkoth, likely ... an intelligent aquatic beast with mind-controlling abilities.
Ma'puande is able to pick out the half-fiendish nature of the creature as well and is given some powers over dark and evil. Given the size and appearance of this creature, it likely has a blasphemy ability.
On her turn:
Ma'puande thinks back to her lessons about the spell Blasphemy, and will inform her friends that it is a sonic effect, that is sickly evil. Then she will suggest that we might be able to negate some of its effects by standing in an area of Silence. But, she looks at Nowzai, it would limit the other spells we could bring to bare. She also suggests that if we can hit the thing with multiple Enervations and they would negate some of the worse effects to us.
Initiative
After being teleported Dalamus will cast invisibility and move off the docks and into the tree line and watch the beast
On her turn, Ma'puande directs the Elemental to attack the creature.
***************************************
Elemental stats with Augment Summoning:
AC 22
HP 115
Fort: +13 ; Ref: +16 ; Will +3
Slam: 17/17 ; 2d6+8
DR 5/-
(Air Mastery (Ex)
Airborne creatures take a –1 penalty on attack and damage rolls against an air elemental.)
**************************************
Ma'puande begins casting a spell to bring about an elemental. Nowzai reaches out to cast teleport and bring whomever wishes along, grabbing everyone other than Ma'puande who is in the middle of casting a spell.
Dalamus immediately runs and hides as Epik moves to interpose himself between the creature and the crowd.
The beast, after sporadically flapping its wings and splashing back into the water again, shoots forward, gaining strength in wings it hasn't appeared to use in a long time. It gets to the dock and shouts something obscene and horrendous as Epik comes forward, a beacon of light in the otherwise dreary and smoke cast day.
The word is foul and unholy and carries an incredible power with it that hits the dock with a boom. The people to the left and right of Epik grab the sides of their heads, some vomiting on the ground and others bleeding from the nose, ears, and eyes. Within seconds they collapse to the ground, convulsing and frothing at the mouth ... dead.
Epik feels the force tear at his very soul, and the words offend every piece of his being, but the power is muted ... and he realizes that the black flame of the lich has risen up to surround and protect his soul ... leaving him alive, but feeling ... filthy.