Randall slips between two of his attackers, placing him behind the drow facing Njord and works on excising organs dead men no longer need. Like kidneys.
and
and
Empowered by Jametor, Asht's lightning transforms into a current of caustic super-heated air. One of the drow warriors partially avoids the animated smoke but the other four are badly burned and left choking and blind. Randall capitalizes on their handicap and excises the kidneys from two of the dark elves with his tiny dagger, killing them.
Njord steps toward the surviving drow and brandishes his noqual blade.
The big ulfen makes short work of the nearly helpless drow warriors cutting them down to a man.
When the smoke clears the shaitan is visibly relieved. She kicks the slain drow at her feet dismissively. “Well done! Please, close the gates behind you so we can discuss your reward."
Xiddik smiles and performs a deep curtsy. "Oh, please," she says in Common, hoping she'll be understood, "you must allow some introductions. We are in the presence of a...a blessed being of earth, and we would be performing shocking rudeness if not first giving our names before entering your lovely domi...dominci...home."
To the Rest of the Party: "She's in a bit too much of a hurry to get us alone in there. Does it look clear? If not, tap my shoulder."
Fíriel gives Randall a hug, glad he's okay, missing the shaitan's suspicious words and mannerisms completely. As she notices Xiddik's tail twitching, though, she frowns slightly and motions Prickles to go investigate.
"Oh great and powerful shaitan, we come in peace, but we were not born this morning. It is our experience almost all the denizens of this underdark want us dead..or at least writhing in pain. I am hoping you speak the common we speak on the surface or the common the drow speak down here. Otherwise, it might be a little slow in the communication piece." Jametor says slowly in Common, repeating in Undercommon.
Asht'el looks on puzzled as his friends don't all leap to follow the shaitan's suggestion. When Xiddik's tail twitches in subtle alarm, Asht'el manages to disguise his suprise and join in the conversation.
"It is as my small friend says, we should make our introductions," he says with a half-bow as he stays outside the gates. "I am Asht'el, and I am pleased you are no longer menaced by those dark elves." By the way Asht'el musses his hair as he speaks, Xiddik can tell quite clearly that the ifrit has received the message and is ready to play along.
;
Randall reads the earth-genie's request like a familiar children's tale and makes no move toward the door.
In common (because it's really all I have), "It is our honor to aid you. We have no great liking for those that menaced you. We need no reward, but we did hope to speak to you, thus our arrival." If she doesn't understand, he will try again in Elven. He assumes Halfling isn't worth the attempt.
"Of course I speak the Common tongue of the mortal races", the giant woman says in reply to Jametor's question.
"Welcome Asht'el. Welcome little halflings and kobold. You have all done a great thing by dispatching those dark intruders. Please, shut the doors. I mean you no harm. I look forward to learning more about all of you."
"I'm sure that's true," Xiddik says, smiling. "And I think we have already learned some wondrous things about you, great earth spirit."
"SHE IS NOT A FRIEND. GET READY TO FIGHT."
"Oh, Shaitan, why do you deceive, we have saved you from the drow, or did we? I am not silver tongued like some of my companions. I will speak plainly. Why are you here, in this place and why do you mean us harm? I do not recall that the Shaitan are inherently evil. Speak plainly, we will hear you and decide." Jametor says.
Fíriel glances back and forth between the shaitan and her friends, wondering what she's missing.
Randall is curious about the insistence on the doors, but decides they can be examined another time. He starts to move around the room with the thought that they should spread out - he does keep an eye out for large blocks of stone that might be dropped from the ceiling, of course...
Noting the increasing concern from his friends, especially Xiddik's subtle warning, Njord sips a vial of thick purple sludge.
The shaitan's stony features twist into a very familiar scowl. "I mean you harm because you need to die. Was that not clear? Here, let me help you along!"
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
With a fearsome rawr, Prickles jumps out from behind Fíriel and removes his mask. As the beaten copper skull is moved away to reveal vicious hedgehog teeth, it suddenly seems to take on a life of its own! It flies toward the "shaitan" and closes its gaping jawbone on the enemy's nose! A moment later it spins in the air and zips back to its original spot on the hedgehog's face.
"Put this thing down, would you, Njord?" Asht'el says, stepping forward and tapping the ursine warrior on the back.
The shaitan shrieks in agony as the fearsome hedgehog's floating mask literally tears her face off by the nose. She crashes to the ground dead.
Her remains rapidly shrink and change color until they no longer resemble that of a statuesque shaitan but a drow woman in dark robes. A pool of blood quickly forms around where her face should be.
Prickles lets out another rawr, this time of exultation, as he wiggles around in what can only be a hedgehog victory dance. Fíriel, meanwhile, blinks and tries to figure out what just happened.
Jametor claps and bows at the wondrous Hedgepeeg.
Eventually the party moves forward to search the faceless drow's remains.
Jametor examines the magic items. He holds up the headband. "I have one of these, makes you smarter, also, I believe has an added enhancement."
Prickles squeaks a few times, bravely volunteering to go scout ahead a bit.
Trundling up the stairs Prickles spots an altar further inside the shrine but no signs of other humanoids hostile or otherwise.
Asht'el hangs back as the scouty folks scout.
Prickles spots strange scrape marks on the otherwise smooth temple floor at the base of the altar. It appears altar has been moved recently.
Xiddik eyes the body of the drow uneasily, glancing back toward the spinebeast with narrowed eyes. If the scrape marks are pointed out to her, she attempts to determine if the altar was moved from somewhere.
Randall tags along with the brave hedgehog, shaking his head and grinning at the creature's heretofore unknown abilities. And look, how does a four-legged critter swagger like that?
Muttering loud enough for his fellow scouts, but not to carry his voice far, "Yes, good eye, Prickles. What do you suppose is under or behind the altar?"
Xiddik believes that the altar hasn't been moved from anyplace specific within the temple. Between her, Randall, and Prickles the party determines that the altar is not trapped and looks to have been dragged along the ground back and forth several times roughly three feet.
Xiddik conveys what she knows didn't happen. "Secret door?" she wonders aloud. "Njord, can you try moving the thing?"
Njord hustles up the stairs and studies the altar. "Sure I'll give it a shot!"
Njord is easily able to drag the altar aside revealing a steep set of stone stairs descending into the darkness.
"Everyone ready to see what's downstairs?"
Prickles squeaks in the affirmative, bravely taking position near the front. Fíriel chuckles, but nods as well.
The party descends the stairs into a spacious cavern filled with a thin mist. Strange, purplish-blue light emanates from a number of large crystals jutting from the walls, illuminating the fog and creating a disorienting display of lights. To the south, a wide chasm bisects the cave, and on the far side the crystals grow much more enormous in size. At the far end of the cavern a roughly six-foot tall crystal pulses with light at the rhythm of a heartbeat.
Allies of my tormentors? a feminine voice asks as it drifts through the party's thoughts. Or something more?
"Are you the actual shaitan by chance?" Jametor asks.
"If your tormentors are the drow and the fake shaitan we just killed upstairs, then no, we are not their allies," Asht'el replies reasonably. "So I guess that makes us something more. Who are you?"
"We are much more," Xiddik says, grinning. Her grin fades slightly as she considers what all of this might mean. "What is become of you?"
Randall leads with Prickles, as usual, searching for traps and letting the hedgehog have all the glory, but he draws up short in the room of crystals.
He tries to respond to the thought-speak. I hear you in my head, but I don't see you. If your tormentors were drow, I must compliment your skill with the stone blocks topside. Very effective.
Yes, I am Haiten Bhaq and I am shaitan. I was keeper of this shrine until the dark elves betrayed my trust and trapped me here. I was a fool to expect mortals that consort with demons to uphold their agreements.
Their mistress ambushed me and overwhelmed me with her magic. Once I was defeated she bound me within this crystal. Her spell was crude... but effective and I have been unable to free myself.