Seeing the destruction wrought of the pyramid creature's blade, Kenta grimly nocks and releases with mechanical and trained precision. With an almost imperceptible kick of his heels after the third arrow leaves his bow, Buta squeals with fury... lowers his head and charges, aiming his jade-ringed tusks squarely at the creature's hip...
Pew: for
Pew: for
Pew: for
Buta-charging Power Gore: for
Arrow after arrow hits the creature in neck and shoulders and as the third missile literally pierces the monster's throat, the goliath stops momentarily, loses the grip on his sword and goes down on his knees.
You hear a deep sigh from underneath the pyramid helmet and then the monster lowers his head until it rests on his chest and stops breathing.
"Damn it! I wasted an infusion because of that!" Berry runs up and kicks the pyramid head thing hard in the head. Hopping up and down on one foot hissing due to the pain.
"Kazam! Kazam! I didn't think we would ever finish killing that creature. Let's give it a quick search for treasure or keys and be off to rescue the girls."
Kyren casts detect magic and inspects the dead pyramid head for anything of magic or value. What creature is underneath that pyramid helmet?
Besides a ragged pair of leather trousers, the monster only possessed the heavy, rather dull blade, which does not show any signs of magic.
Getting the helmet off is much harder than you had expected, poor Kyren is too weak to do that.
This thing was a guardian. Wouldn't have any treasure. Let's move.
Vaughn starts toward where the guardian came from.
Alcheringa starts swatting the helmet off...
Alcheringa grabs the helmet's edge and pulls with full force...there is the sound of breaking bones and ripping skin and then he has torn the massive metal piece off...underneath is a head that vaguely has a human form, but is strangely malformed and now also ripped apart since it was grown together with the helmet at several spots.
That resolved, Alcheringa pushes forward, Blaze at his heels. He heads straight back the way the thing came, curious to see its point of origin.
Tal'Zeneb steps up to the former guardian and kneels by its side. Placing a hand on its brow he says "Sleep now, the Pale Lady embraces you."
He then rises and follows the others.
Nodding grim satisfaction, Kenta urges Buta to follow onwards and inwards... ignoring the fallen guardian and hoping the golem of iron does not come upon them.
"Well, maybe it was once human. . . ish. But I was sure his head was going to be pyramid shaped! Well, I think he's got the point now!"
Vaughn looks back at his friends, impatient to be off. C'mon, guys, time's a-wastin'! They may be sacrificing those kids as we speak!!
You rush through the door and enter another large room - big enough to play a game of soccer in it. Not long ago, this must have been a treasury or something similar since there are still bags full of coins in the corners of the room and gold pieces litter the floor.
At the opposite wall is a large bronze door, open and unguarded.
Alcheringa is not tempted by the money-mojo magic, instead bounding for the door!
"Krazzleboks! Krazzleboks! Krazzleboks! I would say it five times fast if I could, but why oh why oh why do I come running through a treasury when there is no time to stop and clean the place out! Remind me to invest in a time stop spell at my earliest convenience!"
Kyren looks immediately for one piece of treasure that he can grab that would take no time. Perhaps a sack of gold or a lovely trinket.
After Kyren grabs the most valuable piece of treasure he can easily carry, he scurries after Alcheringa, trying to keep up.
"Wait, wait, Alchy! I'm coming."
Kenta spurs Buta after Alcheringa before overtaking him and having his porcine steed spur directly for the open doorway...
Tal'Zeneb doesn't spare the treasure a second glance but hurries after the others.
Berry simply goes to the open door. Treasure is for later.
Vaughn glances back at the Halfling. It'll be there on our way out, you know!
Kyren grabs something that looks like a short scepter and stuffs it into his pack - Kenta is first to reach the door and stops dead in his tracks as he beholds what lies beyond.
Another broad stairwell leading further up, but this time without the rainbow riddle or a similar contraption, this time covered with bodies...scores of them.
Men and women all wearing cultists' robes lies on the stairs, their bodies mangled, ripped open and dismembered. A scene from a slaughterhouse that extends from the foot of the stairs to the top.
" It'll be there on our way out, you know!"
"Maybe so, I'm but I'm not taking any chances. At the very least, I have a little trinket to help us remember this wonderful experience. But without doubt you're right, we cannot lose fact that we are here to helped these wonderful little goddesses. Now let's see where we can find them."
Men and women all wearing cultists' robes lies on the stairs, their bodies mangled, ripped open and dismembered. A scene from a slaughterhouse that extends from the foot of the stairs to the top.
When Kyren arrives at the staircase with the others, he groans. "Crazzleboks! I hope we're not too late. It sure seems that way to these poor sods! This couldn't be the work of Pyramid Head could it?"
Uh...does this mean the stairs were trapped, and the trap was sprung? Berry, can you take a look?
Alcheringa and Blaze both twitch at the sight, both hit by the tang of fresh blood and slaughtered meat, the heady smell of a feast. Unconsciously they lick their lips and emit an almost growl.
Alcheringa pauses to sense for magic.
Checking stairs.
No signs of magic, just the lingering stench of pure havoc...
Berry is sure that no kind of trap has killed these people, there are clean cuts like those done by weapons, but also wounds that look like they were caused by raw power and claws.
At the top of the stairs, a large room seems to open up.
"Ok boys, if you think it's safe now, let's head up the stairs and find the chamber of goddesses!"
Kyren follows the others up the stairs, always trying to stay vigilant for anything unexpected and especially harmful.
Kenta pauses for but a few moments before spurring Buta up the stairs.
Tal, can you spare any healing magic for me before we head up? that guy's sword hurt...
Stopping for Vaughn, Tal'Zeneb says "Of course, Vaughn, my apologies for not attending to your injuries earlier."
Laying his hand over Vaughn's injury, his solemnly intones "Grey Lady, grant your servant this boon, assuage our companion's injuries that he may continue his fight against evil and injustice."
Cure moderate Wounds (empowered) + 6 = 18 hp healed
Vaughn gives Tal a grateful smile and a wink, and continues on up the stairs at a brisk jog.
While pushing forward, Kyren, ever the charmer, turns to his friend Tal and offers his compliments, "You know, my friend, just in case I hadn't made myself clear, you ought to know that your healing magic, that you freely give to each of us in our need, is a real nifty trick. I am most impressed with your faith and what you get in return for such dedication. Do all of your pals in your brotherhood have similar talents?"
The scene of carnage does not extend to the room that opens at the top of the stairs - a stark contrast awaits you here: A wide room with polished white tiles on floor and walls, totally empty besides a crystal pyramid in the centre.
Inside the strange work of art a ball of light hovers slowly from side to side and whenever it touches the glassy walls, there is an erruption of blinding light, momentarily dizzying the beholder.
Alcheringa pads forward, keen to see what it is all about...
"Crazzleboks! This looks like a giant clock that wakes people up just when they are starting to fall asleep! Do try to turn away just before it hits, this cannot be good for your eyes."
Kyren waves his hands drawing upon his arcane power to look into the magical spectrum by casting detect magic on the sphere of light, trying to determine what kind of magic is at work and what is the purpose of this object other than to blind people.
"Kenta think this temple pretty stupid... many things here make no sense... where all the praying people?"
About every ten seconds you have to avert your eyes and so Kyren might be right that this is some kind of clock, even though it appears to be a bit random.
As you move closer to the crystal structure, you sense a humming that emanates from the pyramid, it has a bassy rythm and gets stronger shortly before the flash errupts.
The whole contraption is certainly magical and of divine nature. As you are only about 10ft. away from it, you suddenly feel weakened (Str -2) and tired (CON -2)
How big is this thing--is it a structure within the room that people could fit into, or a standing statue/piece of art?
what other ways out of this room are there?
No "other" exits. The pyramid has a base of about 9 square metres.
Kenta casts his eyes on the ground for any sign of recent passage...
Survival
The polished white tiles don't give away whether someone has mover around or not - they look perfectly clean.
Trotting alongside Kyren , Tal'Zeneb responds "The Pale Lady rewards her servants with many gifts, friend Kyren, I am blessed to be so fortunate. Others are granted similiar power,each as to his need"
Arriving in the room of the crystal structure, Tal regards the pyramid with curiosity.
Knowledge (religion)
Knowledge (Undead)
Berry experiments with this apparent "exhaustion field" if she walks away from it does the feeling go away?
Alcheringa sits way back, not keen on being drained.
Tal has no idea whatsoever about it but Berry feels that the sensation of weakening goes away when she distances herself from the pyramid.
"Crazzleboks! Who put this strength draining, periodic blinding, crystal pyramid right here?! I wonder if this is the source of all there power. Maybe we can find a way to drain it of all its charge."
Actually it is made of crystal, so smashing it with a blunt weapon could work.
The purpose of the thing is quite obscure, maybe it drains power to fuel some sort of "battery" with vita.
Kenta sighs, before patting Buta "Will hurt... but is needed"
Buta then gets a run up before charging and ramming his skull and tusks into the crystal...
Power Gore: for