Andel moves forward and fires a cone of musical shards into the Maidens, those standing and those unconscious on the ground.
Levelle and Talaay drop Helanda's opponent who begins to cough and sputter at the same time that Relan clocks the last Maiden still actively fighting.
With some rope and a couple of chairs, the party is able to quickly bind the gagging and unconcious women finding only one who is actually bleeding enough that you have to bandage her
; fail
; save
; fail
; fail
; save
Now we have armor for you my lady. Relan says to their ally. And I believe we have achieved victory without killing any of your old friends.
Vuloo will help bind the prisoners and search the area. "Helanda, is this all of your former comrades, or are there more ahead?"
He will open the door into the next room.
Braelex eyes the massive crossbow with interest.
Levelle will work to patch up the one maiden (take ten on heal?) and then moves to keep an eye on Vuloo as he opens the next door.
Talaay moves to a good point in the center of the room to simply watch all the new prisoners...
Helanda does a quick count as she armors up. "Oriana and Quenelle aren't here, along with about 8 others assuming no one else has been killed since I left?"
She looks to one of the Maidens who gives her a glare before shaking her head in response, curtly.
Pulling Braelex and Vuloo aside, she whispers concernedly, "Hopefully the effects of the compulsion will wear off over time and they'll see that I didn't betray them ... right?"
The air in this room is almost uncomfortably warm and filled with steam. A grand, tiled bathing pool, the waters steaming hot and smelling of lavender and lilac, sits at the center of the room, while two large red panels stand in the east and west walls.
Vuloo opens the door to the east. This long gallery is striking and gaudy. The walls are painted a shimmering golden hue, with similarly gilt columns running down the center. Black marble statues of the same beautiful woman (Sorshen, you know now) stand to the north and south—an inscription has been carved into each statue’s base. Each statue holds out a hand as if in greeting. Rich tapestries hang on the walls at the center of the gallery, while set at intervals along the tiled floor are three great golden plates, slightly recessed. The westernmost and easternmost plates have a dull finish, but the central one is brightly polished. The ceiling is made of black marble shot through with a sparkling material. There is a broad oak door in the eastern wall with no handle at the end of the gallery.
Well, what have we here...
Vuloo shrugs at Helanda, "Yes, the compulsion will wear off, but they won't forget what happened here. Things will likely never be as they were between you and them. Best to give them space."
He helps Andel search the golden gallery.
Andel translates the Thassilonian script for the group. "By my touch may you enter the shining glory of my inner sanctum."
He then walks over to examine the shining plate. "Enter the shining glory ..."
Vuloo detects magic on the plates and statues.
They all radiate strong conjuration magic.
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Unable to make out the writing Relan relies on Andel. "By my touch"? Do we have anything of hers?
Levelle follows wordlessly. This complex was a strange place and as the newcomer Levelle was still trying to absorb the conflicts and drives of her own group and those of the shield maidens.
While the others consider the transcription, the hunter consider the statues...
Levelle inspects the base of the statues and the pedestals they are on. She sees no indications or marks of movement and sees the statues are mortared in to the bases and the bases are mortared in to the floor.
Helanda watches you explore and looks back at the bound and semiconcious women behind her, "What are we doing with them? It's a death sentence to leave them here, helpless."
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Vuloo nods with empathy at Helanda's concern, "We can't release them until the compulsion is lifted. I feel like there is little risk leaving them until we clear the rest of this area. But, if it worries you, perhaps you should stay here and keep guard."
Vuloo returns his attention to the statues. "I feel as if this polished, shining plate and the statue's outstretched hands are what the inscription is referring to."
Rylan nods. We have no choice but to move on. We can leave these maidens behind secured but unguarded or under your watch. That you must choose.
Helanda looks concernedly back at them. "They will be OK for a couple hours, as you press on. I am concerned about my other sisters, I will go with you, but with the understanding I can choose to come back if we've been away too long."
Of course. My hope is that we will be ready to come back as well.
Vuloo frowns with apprehension, "Well, let's see what happens."
He touches the outstretched hand of one of the statues and then he climbs into the polished plate.
Levelle watches Vuloo actions with interest...
When Vuloo touches the statue's hand, all 3 plates begin to glow slightly. Nothing happens when he steps on the center plate.
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Vuloo strokes his beard as he regards the glowing statue. "I think we are on to something my friends."
He then will move to the oak door and will press on it and will again check for any mechanisms for opening it. "In the name of Sorshen, I command you to open!"
If nothing happens he will drop a few gold pieces onto the plate and will see if that does anything.
If still nothing, he will carefully search behind the tapestries and around the plates and on the statue for any clues .
As the others search the gallery, Andel will follow Relan through the secret door. He cautiously explores the hallway and the space beyond. He is mindful to not stray too far from the fighter.
Vuloo prods and pokes and tries a few things but after a couple.minutes the glow fades from the panels.
The halfing bangs on the oaken door and feels it shift but it will take more effort to break it loose.
South of the secret door, Relan and Andel progress slowly through the hall when Relan notes a faint crack in the eastern wall half way down the hall, noting another secret door.
Helanda grunts from the gallery door "Huh, knew about this first one but not that one."
In the gallery, while Relan is still in the room, Vuloo will motion for the fighter and Andel to help him push the door. Vuloo will again touch the statue before trying the door.
Andel will assist Relan in opening the southern secret door.
Relan, Vuloo, and Andel all put their shoulders into the door and it gives way all of a sudden and they stumble forward toward a large sinkhole that dominates the center of this damp chamber. A five-foot-wide ledge runs around the pit, but the ledge slopes downward and is crusted with slippery-looking slime. The three slip dangerously.
The secret door swings easily open into a dark room. Your light floods into it ... slowly. Peering in you see ...
This black marble-walled chamber’s ceiling is lost in a layer of shimmering black fog, while a long golden rug runs down the center of the room on the floor. A rectangular block of polished stone, black with fat blood-red streaks, sits at the eastern end of the rug. Several objects sit atop this stone, and the cinnamon-scented air is filled with a strange, nagging hum like that of a swarm of buzzing insects. The wall beyond the altar stone is decorated with a detailed mural of a voluptuous demonic woman with bat wings, a serrated tail, legs of molten stone, and a crown of seven horns. Both of her hands are held out to her sides, palms turned up toward the ceiling—a globe of blackness hovers above each palm.
***
"She looks friendly..."
Levelle curls a lip at the shrine but does take a moment to contemplate the orbs...
Relan slips and calls out, trying to grab a hand as he begins to slide.
Vuloo drops the scroll case in his hand as he begins slipping.
After pinwheeling several seconds on the precipice he scampers back to safety.
He looks forlornly at the scroll case at the bottom of the sinkhole. "A shame ..."
At the shrine, Vuloo ponders the statue.
"The shrine and the painting on the wall behind it are devoted to Nocticula, the first succubus and demon lord of assassins, darkness, and lust. She seems an appropriate patron for Sorshen."
Andel easily regains his balance. "The door is a trap. The inscription must have been referring to a another method to enter Sorshen's inner Sanctum."
Vuloo nods at Andel. "I still think that the statue and plate are linked."
The halfling will touch the statue's hand and will instruct Andel to get into the shiny plate while he does so.
Vuloo and Andel will carefully scan the room for any signs of traps. They then carefully lift the rug and checks for danger beneath.
If everything appears safe, Vuloo and Andel will carefully enter the room and will study the objects siting on the rectangular stone.
Need to resolve Relan's second save ... I'll give him until the end of the weekend to roll it himself.
Andel and Vuloo try another attempt using a different statue this time, but the same faint glow appears and then disappears after the same amount of time.
Vuloo steps in to investigate the rugs and the stops as tendrils of black fog drip down from the mist to form shadowy shapes of three massive black dogs directly before the altar. Standing 4 feet at the shoulder and likely weighing nigh on 300 pounds, slavering and growling, they throw back their heads to howl.
Braelex steps back and readies a bomb to throw if the dogs get in range.
;
Need to resolve Relan's second save ... I'll give him until the end of the weekend to roll it himself.
Andel and Vuloo try another attempt using a different statue this time, but the same faint glow appears and then disappears after the same amount of time.
Vuloo steps in to investigate the rugs and the stops as tendrils of black fog drip down from the mist to form shadowy shapes of three massive black dogs directly before the altar. Standing 4 feet at the shoulder and likely weighing nigh on 300 pounds, slavering and growling, they throw back their heads to howl.
[dice=Dog Init]1d20+6
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Vuloo moves back and draws his wand of spiritual weapon.
Andel moves back while studying the dogs in an attempt to discern their weaknesses.
LEvelle draws up her bow and looses a fast shot while the group rallies...
Andel identifies the creatures as shadow mastiffs, evil extraplanar creatures with the ability to instill fear in all who can hear its bay and an insidious ability to continually blend with shadows even under direct gaze, counterable only by actual sunlight or the daylight spell.
Vuloo moves out of the room, drawing a wand as Braelex pulls a bomb out to prepare to crush them. Andel moves back and identifies the creatures as above just in time for them to simultaneously let loose howling bays. The unearthly sound shakes each of you to your boots.
Vuloo turns and runs.
Andel also runs.
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