Old Grog has not trouble with the dimly lit corridor.
The 5 feet wide corridor leads to a room, with a statue of a hooded humanoid holding a bowl.
The entrance, and as far as Old Grog can see, shows no signs of being trapped.
With your special vision, you notice a few boot prints, leading further ahead.
"Mmmm bootprints." mumbled Grog as he fished around for a fresh bottle in his pack. He opened it with a practiced flick before taking a long pull, "Ahh that's that stuff!"
He decided to follow the prints carefully and slowly.
"Footprints, monsieur dwarf? Can you see if they are fresh?"
Old Grog follows the bootprints, and by the looks of it Renee follows at a short distance.
The bootprints hold at the statue, and two patches suggest someone was kneeling in front of it.
The statue Old Grog sees, is made of petrified wood, and has a hideous visage.
A mass of eyes and tendrils on the neck.
Your dwarven eye notices that the visage isn't the original.
A longer look tells you the original must have been desecrated, and this is carved over it.
Two softly burning torches flank both sides of the statue, the bowl it is holding has ashes in it still.
A rusty trunk stands at the western wall.
On the eastern wall hangs a plaque, written in a strange language.
Praised be the gate keeper,
The eternal watcher of all.
Praised be the omnipotent,
The bringer of this world's fall.
Ed Earl is continuing to follow the group, heedful of trouble.
Charis calls upon the gods to grant her clarity as she reads the plaque.
"A dedication to the Eternal Watcher..." she sighs. "Let me take a look at that trunk."
Charis doesn't see anything wrong about the trunk.
However, when she lays a hand on its exterior....
Holy sh!t!!, a monstrous maw makes a bite at Charis.
The mimic, that is showing a rune on its forehead, makes a square hit against Charis.
Charis is grabbed by the maw, and is being chewed upon.
==================
A mimic. This monster can perfectly disguise itself as an object.
Attacking this creature requires either quick reflexes, or firm strength to dislodge one's weapon, which can get stuck on a mimic's exterior.
This one however, seems to be empowered by some evil force.
Renee
Charis (12/52), Ed Earl & Zira
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Indoctrinated mimic
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Carlaya & Old Grog
"Hmm...looks fine to me. I'll check for some traps."
Her mind flashes back to the hydra, its massive jaw closing on some cursed warrior. He struggles before it overwhelms his arms. Gods above, what are you telling me this time-
Too slow to react, the chest slams into her and wraps around her head.
She doesn't know what this thing is, but she continues to focus, calling upon her gods. "Abbadar, grant me freedom!"
For this brief moment, she feels the hand of her lord liberating her.
Like the flow of wealth from the rich to the poor, The Maiden slips free from the thing's grasp like an oiled cobra. She quickly backs away, drawing her whip in the process.
Ed Earl moves as quickly as he can to the animated chest.
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On Going Effect: Banner: +4 vs fear & +3 to hit w/ charge, all allies, constant; -3 Wisdom dmg, constant;
"Sacre bleu, it was un monstre! Why I am not surprised! But I recognize this - le monstre is a mimic. Careful, amies, touching it might get you stuck."
Renee fires a couple of shots at the creature, but in his haste he fails to get his aim in place.
Poor Renee had to move -into- the room for that, but his attacks were not on the spot to hit the hungry treasure chest.
Charis escapes the dangrous maw, and hurries herself back towards the eastern side of the room.
Ed Earl moves in and hits it, though at slightly reduced impact, it would seem.
Zira
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Indoctrinated Mimic (-26)
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Carlaya & Old Grog
Zira walks closer to where the action is, and casts a spell of Haste
Zira boosts all near her, granting them the speed of the 4 winds.
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Indoctrinated Mimic (-26)
It makes a slam vs Ed Earl.
Thanks to Zira's haste, it misses, but just barely.
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Carlaya & Old Grog
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"Hey, where did you guys go?!" Carlaya runs forward into the room to see the hungry treasure box. "Oh. So it's like that, eh? He's actually kind of cute. And probably more useful than my loyal snake companion!" She shouts back down the hall at Rags. "Too bad he can't be tamed." The snake slithers around the entrance, unable to get any closer.
"That was close. If this thing had a brain, I would beat it senseless... instead I'll just break it apart."
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On Going Effect: haste (Zira), 7rds; Banner: +4 vs fear & +3 to hit w/ charge, all allies, constant; -3 Wisdom dmg, constant;
Grog was taken aback by the sudden speed afforded by Zira's spell. Somewhat clumsily he lurches south and tries to bring his accelerated hammer down upon the animated trunk. His aim is terrible however, his hammer more a danger to the wall and floor than to the mimic!
Carlaya heads into the room, where the fighting has erupted. Grog swings his hammer a few times, but the evil treasure chest remains unharmed.
Some ill fortune perhaps....?
===================
Renee
Charis (12/52), Ed Earl & Zira
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Indoctrinated mimic (-26)
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Carlaya & Old Grog
"Weapons will stick?" Charis holds onto her whip. "Then come, my earthen! Let us overwhelm the creature with sheer number!"
Creatures of mud and stone arise from the ground, yelling and taunting the mimic, baiting it into striking them as they weave around its strikes!
...at least that's what she wants the illusion to seem like.
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Renee steps into the room, and keeps on firing.
"You stupide piece of furniture! Let's see you dodge my arrows now!"
The 1st Arrow hits the mimic, the other two are a bare miss, due to Ed Earl standing in the way.
But the Arrow is sticking out of, what you reckon to be, the upper lip.
"GRRRRRRRR!! GURGLE!!"
Charis conjues up a number of illusions in hopes to draw attention from the others.
Ed Earl & Zira
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Indoctrinated mimic (-44)
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Carlaya & Old Grog
Ed Earl raises his greatsword high, then attempts to drive it down through the creature.
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On Going Effect: haste (Zira), 6 rds; Banner: +4 vs fear & +3 to hit w/ charge, all allies, constant; -3 Wisdom dmg, constant;
With a firm and precise strike, Ed Earl finishes the job.
As quick as the fight had started, it has ended as well.
Charis imagines a swarm of snakes crawling over the mimic, biting multiple times before a giant foot stomps on the mimic's guts.
"Hmpf. Good riddance." She pulls her trusty wand and starts applying.
5 zaps later, most of the bruise on her forehead has worn away. "I can't wait to burn this place down."
Carlaya drops her guard as the mimic is crushed. "Aw, but it would've made a good replacement pet! Poor sweetie. Hey, was there something inside? It did look like a treasure chest." She searches its "corpse."
"Careful, amie. It might still be sticky."
Even if the mimic is dead, Renee takes care of avoiding it as he walks into the room. "Nothing here but this 'orrible creature? Let's search the room in detail"
With both Charis' previous check, and Renee's perceptive observations currently, a button is noticed near the statue.
Old Grog noticed the statue's visage is not the original, and has probably mumbled this. It makes the deduction of this desecration easier.
Fine lines indicate a symbol on its neck.
The holy symbol of Abadar, god of cities, law and merchants.
A severely dusty plaque is found among some rubble.
Thank to the watchful eye of Abadar,
Patron of our city.
May our city stand long, and our patron safeguard its citizens.
Charis smiles when she sees the symbol and the original inscription. "Blessed by Abadar. You safeguarded me well." She gives a silent prayer, hoping her patron hears her words. Of all the gods, he was the most merciful to her.
She returns to the room with the mirrors and reflexively turns east, searching down the corridor for more danger.
Her illusion forms into the restored version of the statue and inscription and lingers on a few rounds after she leaves the room.
With no apparent danger in the shrine of Abadar, Ed Earl follows after Charis. He leave her some space, so not to crowd her examination and stealth.
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On Going Effect: Banner: +4 vs fear & +3 to hit w/ charge, all allies, constant; -3 Wisdom dmg, constant;
Grog meanders behind Ed Earl, slowly getting blotto from a mix of rum and ale so dark it looks like iron.
The hallway (10 feet wide, yay for Rags) splits up. Bth to your left and right are wooden double doors, though the right one is further down.
The left one is close by, and is found to be untrapped, should you search it. The handles are not entirely dusty either.
With the party ready, The Maiden reaches for the northern door. This door had better not try to eat me!
The room is dark, its only light coming from Charis' torch.
A couple of unlit lanterns stand at the wall, a trunk on another.
A large stone slab stands on hip height in the eastern side.
Rust colored spots are on it, and bench with tools stands at the north.
From the scene, it could be -or have been-, an emergency operation table.
"Well then...do we want to look in and destroy whatever is in there?" Assuming there are no objections, she readies her longsword and tries to light one of the wall torches.
Grog sniffs and mutter darkly, "Would be nae surprise if t'was sommat lurking..."
His beady eyes dart around from behind his bushy eyebrows...
The Maiden tries to light the lantern at the operating table.
The lantern lit, a warm orange glow fills the room.
The doors suddenly slam shut, shutting the trio in, and a curtain of purple light hangs over it.
The lantern is no longer where Charis saw it.
Carlaya sprints towards the door and attempts to pull it back open, shouting through it "HEY! Are you alright in there? Renee, help me with the door!"
"Great..." Charis stands up and looks for any threats, drawing her sword in the process.
Assuming nothing leaps out at her, she checks the door for any traps or locking mechanisms, then tries to open it.
Ed Earl drops the torch in his hand and grips his greatsword, looking around for more trouble.
"Çık dışarı, bu yüzden bunu halledebiliriz."
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On Going Effect: Banner: +4 vs fear & +3 to hit w/ charge, all allies, constant; -3 Wisdom dmg, constant;
The curtain of purple light hangs upon the door like a transparent barrier. The lock, like the door itself, cannot be touched as is.
The irons on the door in the hallway have turned a chilling cold.
Carlaya grabs hold of the handles, and unless she's wearing gloves, takes cold dmg.
Meanwhile inside....
The trio can hear an increasing whispering.
"It hurt...so much....everything...dark...can't take it....anymore..."
When the doors suddenly slam shut, Grog does a double take and eyes his bottle suspiciously. When something starts talking he mutters, "Sounds like ye need a drink, friend..."
Ed Earl feels his head slightly tingling, which passes quickly.
For some reason he looks towards the big trunk at the wall.
"Mes amies, try to get out of there! Whatever you did to make the door close, try to undo it!"
"Bad news. The lantern I lit is gone. Should I try to light the other one?" She holds one torch in her left hand and the longsword in the other hand as she approaches the trunk.
Assuming no one stops her and there is nothing mimic-like, she lights the other lantern, taps the trunk with her sword, and then tries to open it.
"Careful with that trunk Charis. Something or someone tried getting in my head, and I think that trunk has something to do with it."
While Charis examines the trunk, Ed Earl stays at the ready for any dangers that may come to them.
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On Going Effect: Banner: +4 vs fear & +3 to hit w/ charge, all allies, constant; -3 Wisdom dmg, constant;
With the others outside are trying to force open the door, the trio inside are watching Charis light the other lantern.
When she tries to open it...
Her head starts feeling tingly.