Calebra turns to Bohdan, baring his teeth and asks "if yous divides firty by a 'alf and dun add tun , wa' woulds yer answer be?"
"Yer fools!"
He crouches low and leaps into the air despite his crippling injuries so fast you are barely able to swing as he pushes off the ground.
"90!"
Despite the wounds Jon has suffered, Jon again slashes his greatsword at the monster. Calebra quickly evades Jon's attack.
attack,damage (1d20+9=12, 2d6+8=18)
Calebra turns to Bohdan, baring his teeth and asks "if yous divides firty by a 'alf and dun add tun , wa' woulds yer answer be?"
"Yer fools!"
"That is for the gods to decide."
Ryor dives heroically just as Calebra moves out of reach, slicing off several toes as the beast soars up into the air. 1d20 3 1d6=24, 1d8 1=2.
The Bhuka all dive in, but their reach is just a little short. 1d20 4,1d6=[19, 4], [4], 1d20 4,1d6=[7, 4], [5], 1d20 4,1d6=[17, 4], [1], 1d20 4,1d6=[14, 4], [6]
It may be up to you, bro.
"I fink yer'll find da answer's 70, mate." Syd says stoically.
AoO (1d20+9=21, 2d4+6=11)
Syd's is the final swing just before Calebra's powerful kick carries him out of reach. Also driving himself up with a powerful leap, Syd's falchion cuts deep into a hind leg, shattering bone and showering hot blood. As Syd falls to the floor, everything moving in slow motion, he sees the wings above him relax and Calebra follows him to the floor.
He barely avoids being crushed by the 300 kilo sphinx.
"I fink yer'll find da answer's 70, mate." Syd says stoically.
Calebra lays there breathing weakly. His blood is everywhere.
Combat is over: 600 XP each
Syd looks on the creature almost pityingly. "Poor crazy blighter. Dunno wevver to put 'im out of his misery or to geddim patched up. 'e's wrong in the 'ed, we know that much."
As Syd's words echo faintly and fade, only the sound of heavy breathing can be heard. The warriors cast their eyes around.
The light-stones were all left in the infirmary, yet the main chamber is somewhat brighter than when you left. Now that you are no longer fighting for your lives you realize that a cold, sharp light is being cast down throughout the chamber from the lens far above as if all the lights of the night sky were compressed into a small disc.
You see there are two inset balconies above, about 150 feet up. One on the north face and one on the west apex above the statue of Aroden.
A Sphinx, bleeding prodigiously and on the verge of death, lays at your feet. His blood covers everything near him and everyone who engaged in melee combat. Wetsands and Jon’s blood, too, mixes on the floor with that of the monstrous winged lion.
Perception (melee combatants or anyone else examining the creature):
DC 15:
"Strange... There appear to be ...worms? Worms in the creature's blood."
Perhaps these worms are the cause of the beast's crazed state....
Aref casts light on a pebble and cups it in his hand producing a directed beam of light. He stands above Pulsifer, who crouches near the blood but doesn't touch it.
"The Estrovian Thaumatode, said to have originated from the Worldwound and named after the forest where it was first discovered and studied. A parasitic bloodworm that survives in the intestinal tracts and blood of biological magical beings... but it truly thrives in brain tissue. They can be transmitted through contact with the blood or feces of such creatures, although their survival in creatures that are not inherently magical is known to be rare, although not impossible. Any of you could now be infected."
He casts his eyes around the blood drenched warriors.
He looks up at Aref: "Also very infectious among sorcerers, I have heard."
He picks up one of the tiny worms on a piece of straw tracked out of Calebra's lair and looks at it closely.
"Infection of this parasite is known to cause dementia, a gradual loss of magical ability, loss of brain function, and eventually death. Cure can be had through the usual divine methods of removing diseases. It's progress can be slowed and maybe even stopped through judicious dispelling of magic on the host."
With one last huff of air, Calebra's breathing stops.
"The Estrovian Thaumatode, said to have originated from the Worldwound and named after the forest where it was first discovered and studied. A parasitic bloodworm that survives in the intestinal tracts and blood of biological magical beings... but it truly thrives in brain tissue. They can be transmitted through contact with the blood or feces of such creatures, although their survival in creatures that are not inherently magical is known to be rare, although not impossible. Any of you could now be infected."
He casts his eyes around the blood drenched warriors.
He looks up at Aref: "Also very infectious among sorcerers, I have heard."
He picks up one of the tiny worms on a piece of straw tracked out of Calebra's lair and looks at it closely.
"Infection of this parasite is known to cause dementia, a gradual loss of magical ability, loss of brain function, and eventually death. Cure can be had through the usual divine methods of removing diseases. It's progress can be slowed and maybe even stopped through judicious dispelling of magic on the host."
"Sweet Mistress, that's bad!"
Bohdan immediately withdraws towards the center of the temple."All those covered in blood, to me!"
With that he raises a hand over his head and water starts cascading down his body, washing the blood off of his armor.
Through the grace of Iomedae Bohdan creates water and rinses the blood off everyone.
While you guys are reflecting on the tragedy that Calebra may have just been driven insane by a parasite and not evil at heart, and while you are wondering which one of you may be next, there are a couple of more rooms in this corner of the temple to check out.
Thanks Bohdan
Cordoba begins a inaudible prayer. As it builds you see lights coupled with whispers dancing in your peripheral vision, yet they are gone when you turn toward them. Cold lights burn in Calebra's lifeless sockets, chills run down your spine and you feel your wounds burning with cold as the flesh mends. The sensation lingers when his prayer ends, yet you all see that your wounds are healed.
"Blimey, Smiler, yah kept yer 'oliness pretty well 'idden!"
"You're welcome, Syd. But you are mistaken. I am just the hand of fate."
Rackham fidgets with his holy symbol, eyes burning holes in empty space.
"..."
Lucky for me to be not getting into bloody combat with the beast. I was only injured by the creature's screaming attack so my exposure to the parasite should be nul. Good fight, the Bhuka may now rest in the knowledge that Calebra shall harm them no more.
Will you fellows be off to Katheer now? Or are you interested in looking into the grotty corners of this place?
You entered at sunset and it's not even midnight yet.
"Anyone game for little bit of exploring here?"
While you are thinking about it, have a look around the rest of the hospital. Add +2 to your perception roll for everyone who posts that they are in the room searching with you. No need to declare 'aid another' - just grab the +2 bonus.
Secret door
The shelves in the surgery once concealed a secret door, but now that they have been chewed and pushed aside by scorpions, the exit is quite obvious after a glance behind the disturbed furniture. The tunnel door is jammed open by sand, and climbing outside through the sand filled tunnel will be impossible for any medium being of significant size. Ryor and the Bhuka may be able to squirm up over the sand and through, but if anyone else wants to go it will take some digging.
The storage room
Dust swirls up as you open the door and flash light into the room. The purpose of the room is obvious as soon as you step in, 3 rows of shelves contain all manner of hospital equipment, most of it still in the condition it was left long ago, although there is some evidence that there was a disturbance here before the doors were shut for an eon.
DC 10 Perception
DC 15 Perception
A section that looks like empty bottle racks seems to have been hastily pillaged of its contents from the looks of some broken bottles and vials on the floor. Some of the potions rolled under shelving and several of these remain as they were left, contents seemingly unaffected by the gulf of time.
DC 20 Perception
A section that looks like empty bottle racks seems to have been hastily pillaged of its contents from the looks of some broken bottles and vials on the floor. Some of the potions rolled under shelving and several of these remain as they were left, contents seemingly unaffected by the gulf of time. Bloody but faded fingerprints are barely visible on the emptied racks.
Laboratory
With its large, solid stone topped tables, this seems to be a room where biological research and experiments may have been conducted. Like other closed areas in the temple the floor is thick with dust, suggesting that you are the first people to visit this room for a very long time. Some kind of medical equipment is visible on several of the tables. A supply of medical tools is neatly stored in a shelf on the north wall.
DC 10 Perception
DC 15 Perception
DC 20 Perception
Searching the storage room.
"... Infection of this parasite is known to cause dementia, a gradual loss of magical ability, loss of brain function, and eventually death. Cure can be had through the usual divine methods of removing diseases. It's progress can be slowed and maybe even stopped through judicious dispelling of magic on the host."
"No eat Calebra?"
"Nah, mate. Don't fink dat's on da ajender."
"No eat Calebra?"
"... Infection of this parasite is known to cause dementia, a gradual loss of magical ability, loss of brain function, and eventually death. Cure can be had through the usual divine methods of removing diseases. It's progress can be slowed and maybe even stopped through judicious dispelling of magic on the host."
"No, my good friend, that would be an exceedingly bad idea."
Wetsands searches the Lab.
Perception (1d20+6+2=27) storage
Perception (1d20+6+2=21) lab
Jon found faded bloody fingerprints on the racks in the storage.
what kind of creature left his fingerprints.when did he leave the fingerprints.
Perception (1d20+6=11)
There are bloody footprints left on the ground of lab.
where footprints lead to.
survival (1d20+6=9)
Everyone can look under the DC20 Perception spoilers.
Jon,
The tracks lead into the surgery but you can't follow them after that because of all the disturbance from scorpions.
"Bloody fingerprints here." The Deceiver points out.
The blood is ancient, brown, but still clearly blood.
With the hospital doors open you can feel the night air blowing through the scorpion hole.
The sound of your voices echoes back to you out of the stairs down.
The potions you found still lay on the floor of the storage room under the shelves.
"These potions might come in handy." The Deceiver promptly takes them and places them in a sack.