"I am Sorshen in body, but not mind. I died and came into this clone body, but retained none of the Runelord's memory. I am her, and I am not." Braelex winces for a moment.
"Vuloo can confirm this, and he is still under your sway."
The couatl quizzes Vuloo and after getting satisfactory answers, breathes a sigh.
"That explains much ... and strangely, I am not compelled to attack you. Seems Karzoug's instructions didn't account for this possibility."
It looks about its cell, "My name is Tsikinal, and I've been bound to this room for millennia, kept from doing good works and forced to
protect this particular portion of Karzoug’s workshop. The spell used to metamorphosis, allowing me to freely roam the halls to attack intruders and then once they were dead, return to the circle. It appears the magic has faded somewhat. "
It looks at you again, this time with a distinctly non-hostile look, almost pleading. "I would be deeply indebted if you could free me. A disjunction or anti-magic field would work fine, but Karzoug embedded a specific release here. The effect can also be ended if a powerful Thassilonian artifact is pressed against the center of the summoning circle while the phrase “By the power of Thassilon, I release you!” is uttered. The escape clause makes the binding more potent, and since only Runelords carry those sorts of things ... one could only hope when you took the clone, it came with an artifact of some such origin? Hmmm?."
Perhaps a shard? Relan offers.
"It's worth a try," Braelex nods. She steps forward, cautiously, and touches her Wayfinder to the center of the circle. "By the power of Thassilon, I release you."
She steps back, adding, "Hopefully not another trap left by Karzoug..."
Having observed the exchange Nalar prepares to ward the party if the Couatl attacks again.
Braelex touches her Wayfinder and speaks the words and nothing happens.
"Perhaps it requires a direct contact with an artifact." Nalar muses, stepping forward with his shard and repeating the words.
Relan looks on with interest. Or perhaps it takes something stronger, or more, well complete.
Nalar lays the Shard of Lust down and speaks the words. With a thunderous crack a concussive force knocks everyone down and Tsikinal becomes fully in the room again, stretching out his wings and letting out a long gasp.
Before the creature was cold and alien during your fight, but now it radiates a visible aura of warmth, beauty and calm. Lying on the ground, you can imagine a choir singing to this moment.
It flies in a single circle and shakes its wings once dropping multi coloured feathers to the ground. Its voice rings in your mind, speaking in multiple languages at once, but all clearly understood. The touch of its mind is vibrant and pure.
"The debt I owe to you can never be fully repaid. Take these as a insufficient expression of my gratitude. Hold one and speak my name and I will immediately come to your aid for a few moments. For now, though. I must make a very long overdue report"
I am happy that we did not have to hard you Tsikinal. Before you depart, can tell us more of this place and its threats? And you have shown yourself as an able spellcaster. Perhaps there are spells you can cast before you leave that could aid us?
"Certainly."
He glows for a moment and you all bask in the aura. Some if it sticks to you ...
"Thank you, Tsikinal." Braelex smiles, giving the couatl a bow with a theatrical flourish. She sweeps up the feathers, carefully and reverently.
"I was hedging the truth before, to avoid triggering your compulsion to attack us. As I explained, this body was indeed one of Sorshen's clones. When we were exploring the Lady's Light, my own body suffered a mortal blow. Instead of joining the River of Souls, my consciousness was inserted into this body. The boon of a second chance at life is offset by wearing a stranger's -- and a notorious Runelord's -- face." Her smile fades a bit.
"As Relan hinted, any information you can provide about this place -- its dangers and threats, or its layout -- would be much appreciated. We already encountered a magical assistant, but it was obtuse at best." A pause and she adds, "We are seeking a shard of the Sihedron. We suspect it is sequestered here."
"It has been a long time since I have left the confines of this room, but most of the area was used for Karzoug's experiments and study into the nature of magic and various alien creatures. He did bind another group of extra-planars, the Sisters of Torment, as his butchers when he needed to dissect creatures ... generally while still alive. If they are still bound here, they are incredibly dangerous. I would avoid them at all costs."
It pauses as it considers, "I don't know of any of the Sihedron Shards being resident here."
You have our thanks Tsikinal. Go and do what you must. We will not summon you without great need. Relan collects the two feathers.
Vuloo will also thank Tsikinal and then will follow the others out. "There is an exit out of the Chamber of Stars as well as an unopened door further down the hall. Which way shall we go?"
The coautl bows deeply and then disappears in a flash of light that leaves behind falling multi-colored feathers that shatter in showers of sparks when they hit the ground.
"Try the door down the hall first? We need to be wary of these Sisters of Torment." Braelex moves to look for traps or further trickery.
While well made and tightly fitted, there are enough gaps that gaseous form would allow you to get through.
The door to the south is not trapped or locked.
Vuloo nods to the south door in the Chamber of Stars. "Let's start here Braelex. We can try the other door if this is a dead end."
He follows the others through.
Right. Not sure it matters all that much as we need to search everywhere we can access, right?
The party opens the door to the south.
The walls and ceiling of this stone chamber are partially covered in a strange, organic-looking honeycomb of papery material, as are several long workbenches.
On the far side of the room, a woman with her lips stitched shut
kneels over the still body of a halfling man, making a wordless keening noise.
She doesnt appear to notice you.
Vuloo will detect magic on the room and will scan for any signs of danger.
If it looks safe, he whispers to Relan. "We must help her, but beware of trickery."
"Looks pretty trap-ish," Braelex says, hanging back with her crossbow ready.
I agree Vuloo. [b]Ralen says as he scans for traps. [b]Braelex, what do you detect?
As the party begins talking and discussing, the woman stops her keening and slowly turns it into a low long whistle as she slowly rotates to face you, black hair hanging in her face before she leaps to the attack.
Andel will shout at the woman to stand down. "Stop! We mean you no harm! Let us help you!"
As the woman leaps to attack the party Nalar speaks an arcane incantation and throws his mind against the woman's.
5
Dominate Person*
Dominate Person
Teleport
4
Charm Monster
Emergency Force Sphere
Dimension Door
Emergency Force Sphere
3
Magic Circle Against Evil
Resist Energy Communal
Hold Person
2
Hideous Laughter
Glitter Dust
Glitter Dust
Mirror Image
Hideous Laughter
Create Pit
1
Charm Person
Mage Armor
Shield
Shield
Magic Missile
Magic Missile
And as quickly as she leaps forward, Nalar stops her with the force of his will. His mind touches upon hers for a moment before he walls it off in the back of her brain and he is nearly overwhelmed with the anguish, chaos, and sheer madness inside her brain.
Nalar directs the woman to sit down, cradling his head in one hand. "Something aweful has happened here, her mind is filled with madness."
Relan stands ready in the hall and asks What of the small one in the room. Can she tell us what happened to him?
Braelex moves forward cautiously, looking for further trick or traps.
Nalar looks at the woman. "What happened here?" He asks.
Vuloo moves in behind Braelex to examine the halfling and heal him if he is still alive. If he is dead, he attempts to discern the cause of death.
The woman looks at Nalar and whistles forlornly at him.
Vuloo moves in with Braelex and the two note some strange movement in the halfling.
You can act in the surprise round as you realize the halfling's skin is crawling moments before ...
Suddenly, a cloud of black and yellow wasps with glowing red eyes explode from the halfling's mouth swarming toward Braelex and Vuloo and engulfing them.
+ Fort Save DC18 or be nauseated one round + Fort Save DC20 or be poisoned and take Dex damage
Hellwasps! They can can take over living or dead bodies and consume them, communicating with its host or others to drive them mad. I am not sure I can hurt them.
Braelex recoils out of the stinging swarm, tossing a fire grenade into the buzzing mass.
;
If it appears to work and they are still alive, she continues throwing bombs and activates her boots for more firepower.
;
;
"Damnation!" Nalar says, pausing as he takes stock of his magic. "I have nothing that can effect this creature, maybe this will help you Relan."
5
Dominate Person
Dominate Person
Teleport
4
Charm Monster
Emergency Force Sphere
Dimension Door
Emergency Force Sphere
3
Heroism*
Magic Circle Against Evil
Resist Energy Communal
Hold Person
2
Hideous Laughter
Glitter Dust
Glitter Dust
Mirror Image
Hideous Laughter
Create Pit
1
Charm Person
Mage Armor
Shield
Shield
Magic Missile
Magic Missile
Magic Missile
Effects: nauseated, -5 dex