You take the nobles out past the checkpoint, where strangely, there are no guards. It is quiet - almost eerily so. You turn around to head back to continue exploring. If you glance back, you see the two nobles huddled together and shivering - even though it is warm.
Three prison cells sit along the southern wall of this hallway— each contains a mound of dead bodies in various stages of rot and destruction.
"Gruesome."
Richard watches the nobles leave with nothing but themselves and their nightmares. "Take care of each other. I am Richard Holysmith. I'll keep in touch." He hopes his allies made the right decision to let them go.
Back into hell. Hell has a present. Don't take gifts from strangers.
"Let's move on. I'm in no mood to search bodies."
Tal will quickly stab the bodies to ensure they stay dead but then moves on with the others to delve deeper into the labyrinth of horrors.
Perception as we move on
There is nothing to the bodies, but dead bodies.
This long hall flickers with unsettling purple light—the source of this stomach-churning illumination is the eighteen alcoves that run opposite each other along the walls. Within each stands a pillar of rough purple crystal, flickering with what appears to be violet fire. An ominous rumbling and high-pitched wail comes from around the hallway’s corner far to the north.
"Oh yes, I'm certain that wail is inviting us to a tasty dinner." Richard mutters before casting Invisibility on himself. "I'll take a quick look."
He ventures ahead, looking for traps and the source of the noise.
Then he returns with his report.
Noah looks at the crystals and casts detect magic to see if they are magical.
Good luck and be safe as we won’t be able to see you if you get into trouble.
Richard doesn't know if the crystals are magical but he thinks they are some sort of conduits for the infernal energy generated by the fiend-and they are unstable at that!
"That makes sense." An invisible Richard returns. "Not a trap, but hopefully we're close to the intake valves. We're so close to stopping that fiend, Croseal."
Tal looks up sharply as the disembodied voice calls out to them. Hopefully we are close. Until then grab ahold of me so I know where you are at and lead on. The sooner we get done with this the better and then we can check on your nobles that we left at the gate.
perception moving forward
A thunderous roaring and shrieking fills this large chamber. Two huge crystal tanks stand in the center of the room, each filled with what appears to be boiling blood infused with periodic blasts of violet electricity. A complex series of metal pipes, struts, and violet crystal tubes shrouds and cradles these tanks, connecting to the walls and ceiling of the chamber in dozens of spots.
The Invisible Richard keeps a hand on Tal's shoulder. "We must be getting close. Sherix, keep Tal entertained while I take a look for any danger."
"Entertained?" Sherix frowns and lands on Tal's shoulder. "Sometimes Richard is too high maintenance."
Tal looks down at his sword armor and shield as Sherix speaks to him. Yeah I get what you mean. It’s easier taking care of my equipment all the time then it is for you to keep track of him. I just hope nothing happens to him while he is invisible. We may need to look into finding a way for one of us to see invisible creatures if this is to be a regular thing.
Tal looks to the others, You guys have any idea of what this is and if we need to shut it off some how. I still have this metal rod thing that looks important but not sure how it works.
Know engineering
The machinery in the room looks very unstable but Tal doesn't see anyplace where the rod would fit.
Besides the unstableness of the place, there are no other dangers.
"I hope it doesn't explode on the way back. It would be dashing, but also dangerous. If it catches Croseal it would be worth it."
"Let's move on."
This circular chamber looks similar to a silo, the floor and ceiling dropping away for twenty feet in either direction. Above, the ceiling appears to be scorched stone, while twenty feet below, the chamber ends in a pool of boiling, steaming dark water. A five-foot-wide walkway around the edge of the silo allows passage between doors on either side. The walls of the room are a complex tangle of purple crystalline pipes and metal tubes, many of which steam with heat. A complex-looking metal and crystal valve, its face a twisted clot of slots and nodules, glows softly on one wall just above the walkway.
Noah points to the valve and asks "Could that be where the rod goes?"
Tal compares the metal rod to the location that Noah indicates.
Know engineering
I think so but if you all want to step back before I try this go ahead. I won’t blame you for being cautious.
If it looks like a match then Tal will try the rod and hope everyone doesn’t blow up.
"Yeah! Do it!" She orbits around Richard's head.
Tal fits the rod over the glowing valve and uses as a lever to turn the entire valve several rotations until the chamber grows quiet.
"Alright, that's one down. Let's find the next four."
Beads of sweat poured from his face as he inserted the rod. It wasn’t until everything quieted down and stopped that he managed to release his breath that he didn’t know he had been holding. Well yes. That went well. As Sherix says on to the rest. Lead on Richard whenever you are.
Moving on after quieting the chamber..
The walls of this gently sloping, five-foot-wide hallway are thick with rumbling metal and crystal pipes and tubes that periodically spout out blasts of steam.
Standing in the middle of the hallway is a man that looks like the illusion you had seen a few moments ago of Dargentu Vheed. Only where that Vheed looked full of life, this one is the epitome of death. His skin rotting away, his eye sockets empty, his entrails hanging thick and
foul from his frame. He wears a tattered robe and his mayoral badge of office - an amulet - around his neck. Maybe the crazy fox lady wasn't so crazy after all!
He looks at all of you and shouts All trespassers must DIE!
This explains a lot...
Duke wastes no time and charges in, trying to get behind the man..thing.
Vheed turns around towards Duke and attacks!
+
+
Tal sees the creature react quickly and strike Duke with a pair of claws. Taking advantage of the flank that Duke provides he slashes downward. He follows this up if he is able with another powerful blow from his trusty sword.
power attack +1 keen longword with trip for
iterative for
"Former Mayor, it is time to rest. Your faithful servant awaits you." Invisible Richard begins to Inspire Courage among his teammates.
He grabs a vial of holy water and hands it to Sherix. "Just in case."
"Oof! Hey, could you warn me in advance? I can't see you." Sherix clutches onto the vial.
Noah moves up and attacks the mayor hoping to put it down quickly.
Richard inspires his allies with courage. Sherix prepares the holy water.
Tal hits with his first attack, but doesn't do the damage the experienced swordsman feels he should have done.
Noah misses with his morningstar.
Duke concentrates his attacks on a single spot, hoping to really make it hurt.
Duke batters the mayor with his magical fists.
Vheed attempts to slash Duke with his claws!
+
+
Noah tries again to hit the mayor.
Tal knows his blade didn't do as much damage as it should have but he was at a loss as to what exactly was needed to bypass the creatures defenses. To that end he went wit hthe tried and true method of hitting it as often as as hard as he could in the hopes that the damage would start to add up.
power attack flank inspired +1 keen longsword for threat
threat confirm for nice!
iterative for
Anyone know what is needed to damage this thing? Then again I think I found a weak spot!
"Uh... Sherix, do you know what's going on with the mayor?"
Richard pulls out his wand of Cure Light Wounds and reaches for Duke.
"Nnnnnope."
Noah misses with his morningstar and while Tal's blade doesn't do the damage he expects it to do, it does enough.
Richard heals Duke a tad and him and Sherix think Vheed might be a lich.
"We have no need for your kind here. I don't know how you got to be like this, but I am sending you home."
Duke continues his assault!
"That's why elected officials need term limits." Richard lets Duke do his thing.
Duke beats the former mayor to death or back to undeath.
"Woo! Go team!" Sherix flutters around, her arms gripping the vial. "Richard, take this back already." She feels the vial tug from her before disappearing from sight.
"So... how do we make sure he doesn't come back?"
Tal looks at the undead form before them and watches to see if anything happens to it as Sherix asks her question. I know we researched vampires before and we need to cut its head off and drive a stake through its heart. Keep that holy water available as well as we may need to sprinkle it on the coffin should we find it.
Tal also searches the body for anything of value that they might be able to use. although if it is magical he relies on his companions to identify anything as such.