The naga hisses back and raises up, turning to focus on Nalar and his familiar, "I did abandon them to die... I told you as much when you arrived. They were incapable of continuing the mission, which I have contracted to complete, and I intend to keep that bargain with my employers. However, I did not "sink my fangs into them" you ignorant prejudicial simpleton. I do not kill those that I work with, but when it became apparent they would not help with this excursion, I left them to their own devices."
Her rage building, she visibly constrains herself but is still taught with menace as she continues, "If you arent here to aid the mission, and you arent here to get through the door, then perhaps you should turn tail back to your masters and tell them you were to morally squeamish for this undertaking. Probably for the best, since the caulborn would likely eat you alive with your antiquated ideas about chivalrous adventuring parties. I am NOT leaving."
Braelex sighs and holds up her hands, fending off a throw down. "Whoa, people! Let's take things down a notch, okay?" She turns to Silasni, pleading "Give me a minute, please."
She ushers Relan and Nalar into the hallway. "Hey, since when did we become the morality police? We've worked with more than one, shall I say 'unscrupulous' person along the way -- some right here in Kaer Maga. Its not like the Pathfinders are paragons of Iomedae or anything. We're glorified grave robbers and thieves, no matter what the pamphlet says. So now we run into someone who's uppity or we can't auto-dominate and its suddenly a problem?"
She has shown she does not care for me, so I do not care for her right back. I do not trust her based on what is known of her kind. She might be different but has turned down my offer to talk of mutual assistance. I'll not help her ore trust.
The naga looks to the remaining two people in the room, Vuloo and Andel . ”Well are you two going to help with this door or go join your friends in a pseudo-philosophical discussion about racial profiling to justify whatever it is you want to do next?””
Vuloo sighs and repeats his questions to the naga. "The murals of the dark rider and the caulborn may be a clue. What do you know of them? What images have you tried so far?"
"I drew the rune to the left of the star on the door, but once it blasted me, I stopped attempting drawings. I've been hunting for an obvious clue to include those murals, but nothing pops out. I don't know what those runes are and I've hunted. I wasn't the Thassilonian scholar in our group," her rage slowly subsiding into frustration, the naga grudgingly admits her failure.
Andel will study the runes around the star closer to attempt to decipher their meaning. "As it turns out, I've studied a bit of Thassilon's history."
Andel identifies the runes fairly easily. Along the left side are the runes of pride, envy and lust. On the right are the runes of gluttony, sloth and wrath. At the top is the rune of greed.
"She disregarded you because you were acting rude," Braelex replies. "She may be a naga but that doesn't make her our enemy automatically. We can handle it if things turn ugly, but lets not push them that way if we can avoid it." She nods then returns to the puzzle room.
She shrugs as Andel explains the runes. "I still don't get the significance."
Andel nods, "One symbol for each rune lord." He turns to the naga. "And you tried the envy symbol?"
She points at the envy symbol, "This one? Yes."
Vuloo rubs his chin. "During his research of the library Nalar discovered that the Runelords of Greed created and maintained both the Therassic Spire and laboratories underneath it. It seems that the greed symbol would be the logical next choice. Do you all agree? If so, if you all exit the room I will give it a try."
That was my thinking. Relan admits.
"I can prepare an extract to fend off most of the electricity, but it will only work for me. Vuloo, unless you have similar magic handy, I'd suggest you let me do the task."
If he agrees, Braelex will quickly prepare a resist electricity extract and drink it before drawing the symbol.
Vuloo sniffs at Relan. "Of course it was."
He then bows to Braelex, "After you, Lady Sorshen."
He and Andel then exit the room while Braelex attempts to open the door.
Braelex clears the room and makes her extract. She chugs it down and then with great hesitancy draws the topmost rune with expert precision. After a couple of tense seconds, the door silently slides open.
Beyond is a unique sight. Unlike the chambers around it, this cavern appears to be natural, with a rushing ribbon of dark water running through its bottom half. A stone bridge arches across the torrent to a wide ledge on the other side that leads into another cavern. The bridge is sculpted rather than natural, with low railings on either side that show distorted faces, their expressions utterly blank.
Silasni exhales a breath that she'd apparently been holding and then slithers forward, "Excellent, I thank you immensely. I invite you to kindly return to the library. I shall continue the mission from here. Again, thank you for your assistance."
Vuloo sniffs at Relan. "Of course it was."
Vuloo shakes his head at the serpent. "No, no, we're going in, and there will be no stopping us. If anyone is going back to the library it will be you."
Respond in character if Relan is offended by the comment.
Vuloo shakes his head at the serpent. "No, no, we're going in, and there will be no stopping us. If anyone is going back to the library it will be you."
Vuloo sniffs at Relan. "Of course it was."
You forget I am Lore Warden Vuloo and have spend much time with books. I did not mean to claim credit, only to agree with your conclusion. Relan professes.
Vuloo shakes his head at the serpent. "No, no, we're going in, and there will be no stopping us. If anyone is going back to the library it will be you."
Careful there Vuloo. Relan chides. Braelex may accuse you of being rude to the creature. But he is smiling as he advances to stand within 10' of the naga. I side with my friend Vuloo here Silasni. We offered you the chance to join us and you did not accept. You were not smart enough to get past this barrier. What in all the planes make you think we would let you advance without us? Can you be so callus?
Vuloo nods, "Yes of course, my friend, I forget you are not the typical fighter. My sincere apologies for my rudeness."
He and Andel back up as they await the naga's reaction.
Nalar stands awkwardly in the doorway watching the party work to open the door. A slight raise of his eyebrow hints at his amusement at the Naga as Relan needles her. "Well everyone, looks like this brave adventurer has everything in hand, how about we retire and get a hot meal. Maybe check up on how the rest of her party fared, they should be at the library by now." He says sardonically, rolling his eyes at the display before walking up and clapping Vullo on the shoulder.
"Well done my friend, the runelords of old were to a point all arrogant. It makes sense the passcode for Karzoug's door would be his personal symbol." His eyes examine the dark waters, trying to identify them.
The naga rolls her eyes at the party as they push to enter and then through a hiss of frustration bites off her words as she proceeds forward to the bridge shouting back over her shoulder, "Fine, let's progress. Dont get in my way and you most assuredly wont be taking credit for .... <grrrkkk!>"
Her final words are lost as the river explodes out in a spray of cold water. A frog-like humanoid creature looking like a giant bogard leaps into the air from the water and glides on flaps of skin between its limbs. It races towards Silasni biting and clawing ripping into her viciously.
Believing this to be some sort of extra planar creature Relan fights with cold iron. But he has to switch weapons and so only gets a single attack.
"Froghemoth?!?"
She clicks off a bolt at the beast.
; plus
Vuloo casts Blessing of Fervor on the group.
Andel attempts to identify the creature.
You identify the creature as a Hydrodaemon, an outsider that represents death by drowning. Normally found in Abaddon in swamps, acid oceans or even the River Styx where they are known to set ambushes for unwary travelers.
You also recollect that beyond standard daemon abilities, they can spit sleep-inducing spittle and can control water and summon water elementals
It's an Hydrodaemon. Relan warns. Its saliva can cause sleep. It can even summon water elementals. AS the Blesssing of Fervor washes over Relan he chooses the armor class bonus.
Braelex fires a bolt, perfectly aimed and it strikes the daemon in the chest and then shatters without a scratch. The acid then drips down the creature like water leaving nary a mark.
Silasni slithers back hissing firing bolts of magic at the evil creature but they land with a fizzle instead of impact.
; fail
Andel identifies the creature and Relan moves forward striking and attempting to trip it, but the creature is still (weirdly, technically) flying and has yet to land still gliding along in pursuit of the naga.
Vuloo casts blessing of fervor.
The hydrodaemon glides in to continue its assault on Silasni.
Bursting from the south is a massive humanoid shaped creature of water. It swings massive pseudopods at the naga
The grodair lowers the water in the river, causing the rushing flood to reduce to a trickle, revealing a second hydrodameon crouched on the bank
Nalar, low on direct combat magic and regretting his life choices about not buying a wand of magic missile when he had the chance decides to move closer to the others to bring them into the shimmering golden circle around him and erects mental wards around his party just in case the Daemons tried to influence their minds.
5
Teleport
4
Emergency Force Sphere
Dimension Door
Emergency Force Sphere
3
Resist Energy Communal
Hold Person
2
Hideous Laughter
Glitter Dust
Glitter Dust
Mirror Image
Create Pit
1
Charm Person
Shield
Shield
Yeah' sorry that I wasnt clear in the narrative. I have it in the stats. That first strike smashed him easily doing the first real damage to it.
Now that I think I about it, it may have to move. Average maneuverability. Let me look up the rules tonight. You may gain an AoO.
"Ah crap... what do we need to hurt this thing?"
Vuloo begins casting Summon Monster III.
Andel will use his naturalist ability to recite the weaknesses of the hyrdrodaemons to the party
Naturalist (Ex): An archivist who has identified a creature with a Knowledge check appropriate to its type can use performance to share strategies for defeating it with allies in combat. The archivist and any allies within 30 feet gain a +1 insight bonus to AC and on attack rolls and saving throws against extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities used by creatures of that specific kind of monster (e.g., frost giants, not all giants or all humanoids). This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every six levels thereafter. This language-dependent ability requires visual and audible components.
;
; miss
Nalar, Andel and Vuloo cast spells and use abilities.
The addition of more opponents causes Silasni to coil back and rip out a bolt of lightning but it fizzles after about 2 feet.
; fail
Unsure how to fight the daemons, Braelex turns her aim on the summoned elemental, using the blessing of fervor to hasten her attacks.
; plus
; plus
; plus